Picking up the pieces after floods

Shannon farmer Bronwyn McIntyre lost about 20 ewes and lambs when floodwaters swept through her farm, submerging five paddocks, during yesterday's regional flooding.

Mrs McIntyre and her husband were awoken by the wind and rain about 3.30am yesterday.
''We got up and tried to move them out of the paddock but we couldn't,'' she said.
''There's not much you can do, you can't push old sheep.''

About five dead sheep had been recovered, but Mrs McIntyre said the others were washed down the creek.
The cost of replacing the animals was about $2400.
''It's just annoying that it [the water] came up so quickly. It's always a blow when you lose an animal but that's life really.
''At least we're not as worse off as Christchurch.''

Mrs McIntyre said the waters started to subside late yesterday afternoon.
Many other flooded-in Manawatu residents were left to watch helplessly as waters rose quickly around their homes.

Similar flooding in February 2004 ravaged the Manawatu region. It brought down bridges, broke riverbanks, flooded homes, and caused widespread damage.
Up to 60 homes were threatened by the swollen Mangatainoka River, south of Pahiatua, after it burst its banks and poured over farmland.

As Marilyn Stevenson watched her family's farm submerge she couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu.
''We got given a 4.8 warning at 8.30am, and when it hits 7 that's when we're in trouble,'' Mrs Stevenson said. ''It's exactly what happened the last time. If it keeps rising the way it is now then we will have to evacuate.''

By 4pm yesterday, her front porch was flooded over, her car port was knee-deep in water and all the family could do was watch and wait.
Her mother Kerri Prince said she hoped they wouldn't need to evacuate, but that decision would have to be made before it got dark.
''In the last floods we had to evacuate, and it think it's higher now than in 2004,'' Mrs Prince said.
She said they were keeping a close eye on their stock, especially their pet sheep Pedro who was stuck on the only spot of dry grass on the farm.

Mangamaire resident Craig Mailman jumped out of his bed at 8am to save his dogs and cats from floating away.
''I went out to find the cats and one of them was literally swimming in what used to be the garden,'' Mr Mailman said.

His front section was entirely immersed in water with parts of his lawn in water one-metre deep.
''We've been renting this place for four weeks and were looking to buy it. Don't think that will be happening now after what we've seen,'' he said.

Tokomaru farmer Greg Stewart said his low lying paddocks were flooded, but most of his farm was unaffected because it was in the foothills.
Mr Stewart said he made a lucky decision to shift most of his ewes and lambs before the waters got too high.
But the weather created a frustrating setback for Mr Stewart, who is about three quarters through lambing.
''It puts you behind a bit but you live with it.''

- © Fairfax NZ News

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