Janine Krippner
Last week I woke up to find a set of MetService weather alerts on my phone. Safe in my Wellington apartment, I was unaware of the chaos that had erupted nearby. Residents woke in the dark to flood waters through their homes. The saturated landscape was under pressure and landslides were occurring, one through a home.
Janine Krippner
More than 70mm of rain within an hour fell on one part of Wellington. Homes, cars, belongings, and businesses were damaged. Tragically, a life was also lost. Real lives, real impacts.
Early damage estimates are within the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars.
This damaging storm hit two days after flooding in the nearby Hutt Valley. That was not long after Cyclone Vaianu. That was not long after devastating fatalities resulted from storm-related landslides and flooding across the region, including the landslide at Mount Maunganui. Our own Waipā district saw the gut-wrenching loss of Brent Knowles. And that was not long after we saw damaging landslides across the Waitomo District last October.
I think it is safe to say that flooding and landslides are processes we should all be very aware of. Broadly speaking, are they really surprise storms at this point? We know there will be more.
A key message of this column has been a reminder that events strike with little to no warning and turn upside down. We are not powerless. On every level there are actions we can take, from our national government to our local councils, businesses to households, and us – the individuals.
One theme of events here and around the world is how communities come together to support those who are impacted. We see friends and strangers unite for the clean-up, some with shovels, others bringing food. One story of someone getting help to evacuate their elderly neighbour from her flooded home last week exemplifies this. It’s a powerful reminder that getting to know our neighbours can make a difference – it can even be lifesaving.
Something we can all do now is remind ourselves of landslide warning signs. Along with others, I have recently shared what to watch out for.
Check to see if you live in a flood-prone area, especially if you have recently moved. In times of flooding water and debris may be contaminated, so take care to protect yourself during and afterwards.
Have a plan. Talk with your household about what you would do if you were separated, such as if an event strikes during the work/school day. What do you do if something hits in the middle of the night? Where can you evacuate to? Do you have neighbours who might need assistance?
Simple conversations, planning, and preparation done now can make a huge difference later.
All my love to those who have lost family members, homes, belongings, animals, or businesses in these recent storms. If you want to help with the Wellington storm recovery, the Mayoral Relief Fund has been set up to support those who were impacted.
