3 May 2011

Flooded residents not able to return home yet

1:02 pm on 3 May 2011

Residents from several areas in central Hawke's Bay cannot return home, despite a state of emergency being lifted on Tuesday morning.

Civil Defence says most residents of the small coastal settlement of Kairakau have been allowed to return, but people from Pourerere and Blackhead have not.

In addition, residents from 23 houses in Te Awanga and 28 in Waimarama cannot return to their properties which have been red-stickered.

Hastings District Council says the houses have problems with sewerage and flooding.