24 Apr 2014

Defence to help storm damaged region

4:53 pm on 24 April 2014

New Zealand Defence Force personnel are in South Westland to help clean up damage from last week's severe storm.

Residents in the West Coast settlement of Whataroa have been working around the clock to clear the mess left by the storm that battered the West Coast over the Easter weekend, bringing down thousands of trees, snapping power poles, wrecking buildings and destroying camper vans.

Jonathan Coleman.

Jonathan Coleman. Photo: RNZ

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman said images of flattened forests and blocked roads sparked discussions about sending Defence staff into Whataroa.

"It's clear in Whataroa there has been extensive devastation following these storms and it looked like a situation where it would be very appropriate use of Defence Force resources to go down and help with what is a massive clean-up job."

Nine personnel were already there for Anzac Day ceremonies on Friday and a further 16 have been sent from the Burnham camp near Christchurch to help chainsaw trees and unblock roads.

The Labour MP for the West Coast and Tasman, Damien O'Connor, said the Government may have to foot the bill for cleaning up the damage.

Mr O'Connor said professional contractors need to step in, as locals have been working non-stop and farmers are under pressure to repair damage on top of normal farm work.

He said skilled workers are needed to relieve the strain and while the local Rural Support Trust will be called on, the Ministry for Primary Industries may have to give even more support.

Blown away  - a Whataroa farm garage demolished during the Easter storm.

Blown away - a Whataroa farm garage demolished during the Easter storm. Photo: SUPPLIED / Shirley Arnold

Help for exhausted farmers

Federated Farmers' West Coast president Katie Milne is meeting South Westland farmers to canvass the extent of damage from the storm which began on 17 April.

A week on, locals are repairing damage, fixing roofs, fences and cutting up some of the trees that were toppled. Ms Milne said she would meet with farmers and hoped to arrange for trained chainsaw operators to join them.

Whataroa Hotel publican  Patrick Dennehy says tourists driving along the main highway sheltered in his hotel after their vans had their roofs torn off or were blown over altogether.

Whataroa Hotel publican Patrick Dennehy says tourists driving along the main highway sheltered in his hotel after their vans had their roofs torn off or were blown over altogether. Photo: SUPPLIED / Shirley Arnold

"People (are) now getting pretty tired. Keeping stock under control is the next concern and clearing trees from fences and the rest of the laneways and so on like that ... it is a very tiring job," she says.

Ms Milne said if people are stressed or tired, help is available through the local Rural Support Trust.

A Whataroa resident, farmer Ken Arnold, said the wind peaked at speeds of about 180 km/h at the height of the storm, causing a roar like two Boeing 747s as it hit the town, tearing buildings apart and bringing down the trees.

Mr Arnold said at the height of the storm, sheet iron torn from roofs and fences was flying around the town and it's a miracle that no one was injured.

It took just a few hours for nature to destroy vast tracts of totara trees which have formed the backdrop to the township for as long as he can remember.

"The landscape of this whole valley has totally changed to what I have known all my life from growing up as a child ... just in one night of heavy wind. It is just amazing what nature can do to you."

Mr Arnold said the trees will grow back, but not in his lifetime.

Electricity company Westpower said all its customers cut off after the storm have been reconnected. However it said people in South Westland should conserve power, especially between 5pm and 8pm, to ensure the load on the network is maintained.

Roofing iron stripped from a building at Whataroa School.

Roofing iron stripped from a building at Whataroa School. Photo: SUPPLIED / Shirley Arnold