The government has classified ex-cyclone Dovi as a medium-scale adverse event, making $200,000 of funding available to help recovering efforts.
Roads around Buller were left impassable after heavy rains. Photo: Supplied / Civil Defence
The severe weather damaged bridges and fences and flooded crops across the North Island.
Rural Communities Minister Damien O'Connor says the funding will go to local Rural Support Trusts and Mayoral Relief Funds in Taranaki, Wairarapa, and the Waitomo district.
"The Ministry for Primary Industries is working closely with sector groups and other agencies to continue assessing the extent of storm damage and shift towards recovery efforts.
"The funding will help farmers and growers now facing a huge clean-up effort after ex-tropical Cyclone Dovi passed through, which includes restoring access to their properties," he said
He said the funding would speed up the recovery of farming businesses while also providing wellbeing support and specialist advice.
"In Taranaki, where storms struck twice within a week, bridges and more than 100 culverts have been damaged, which will require heavy diggers to repair.
"In the Waitomo District floodwaters swept through two valleys, damaging fences and depositing silt over farms. In the Wairarapa, as many as 30 arable farms have been affected by flooding, damaging barley, wheat, peas, squash, and maize crops."
Farmers needing help to manage feed shortages were encouraged to contact their levy body.
O'Connor said the government would continue to assess whether further support was needed as the full extent of the damage caused by the storm became more apparent.
