Bodies fall into Ruatoria river

The remains of four bodies buried in the Matahiia cemetery near Ruatoria, 130km northeast of Gisborne, have fallen into the Mata River and more are expected to drop in as the river cuts further into the burial ground.

A decision to disinter the 23 graves in the Gisborne District Council-owned cemetery was made last month but saturated ground has stalled this.

Community property manager Matt Feisst said the high water table meant it was unlikely that disinterment would be started until later this year or early next year.

Meanwhile, residents in the area can only watch as the river cuts deeper and deeper into the small graveyard and threatens to take their relatives.

Mr Fiesst said the descendants of the four bodies that had fallen into the river had been advised.

The council had managed to contact 20 of the descendants of the 23 graves in the cemetery.

"We were hoping we could move them sooner but it is impossible because it is so wet.

"There is not much we can do. We can't fight nature unfortunately."

Descendants had been advised to move gravestones, in case the river claimed them.

Funding sources and other legal requirements for a disinterment were being investigated.

Concerns about the river heading toward the cemetery were raised three years ago and the river has continued to eat away at the burial ground.

Heavy rain in July carved away a huge chunk of land and since then the situation has continued to deteriorate.

- NZPA