Piles of wet, smelly furniture, carpets, toys, and gib line the roads in Waiohiki, Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
More rain in Hawke's Bay is worrying locals who have already made massive efforts to clean up from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Rain started falling in the region on Thursday and MetService said the region could expect 150 to 200mm of rain around the ranges and also north of Hastings - including Esk Valley area and the Wairoa District.
In Napier, Taradale and Waiohiki were severely flooded when the Tūtaekurī River broke its banks last week.
Taradale resident Qian Zhang said water rushed in to her house so quickly, they only had five minutes to get out.
"When we were packing, the police came and said 'just grab the things that are important to you and leave now'."
Qian Zhang's Taradale house was covered with at least three inches of silt after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
Her house is now yellow-stickered and at least three inches of silt covers the whole floor.
Most of the furniture has been dumped and all that is left are the pieces too heavy to carry - bed bases and couches.
For the past week, Zhang's family have been staying in an evacuation centre.
They have just got temporary accommodation at Kennedy Park Resort - a motel in Napier.
"There is a cabin for every family. It's a lot better now".
Qian Zhang says they only had five minutes to get out of their Taradale house because the flood waters rushed in so quickly. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
Zhang is waiting for her insurance company to assess her home.
She said finding somewhere to live that was close to work and school was difficult.
However, she said her neighbours had provided a lot of support.
"I want to say a big thanks to my neighbourhood.
"If I didn't go through this, I wouldn't know that a lot of people are so nice. I was very touched by the people that helped everyone".
Over the other side of the collapsed Redclyffe bridge is Waiohiki.
Debris and damage at Redclyffe bridge in Taradale, Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Givealittle / Waiohiki Marae
The cyclone decimated the area - the majority of houses are surrounded by deep mud and are uninhabitable.
Piles of wet, smelly furniture, carpets, toys, gib, and wrecked cars line the roads.
Waiohiki marae spokesperson Te Kaha Hawaikirangi said hundreds of people had been turning up every day to muck in.
"We've had around 300 people, at least, each day come through just to help with clearing rubbish out, clearing around houses, ripping carpet out, ripping gib out".
Waiohiki marae spokesperson Te Kaha Hawaikirangi says he is proud of the community's resilience. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
Waiohiki marae and Ngāti Porou Hapu Trust are leading the response.
Team leaders and contractors meet at 8am every day to confirm the priorities for the day.
Tasks are then delegated to the masses of volunteers that show up.
"We've had Kiwi Taskforce, Search and Rescue, DOC, different church groups, we've definitely had the whānau and their wider whānau coming through, and just individuals that have come along with a spade and have said 'how can we help'."
Hundreds are turning up at Waiohiki marae to help locals clean up after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
Hawaikirangi said it was hard to tell how long it would be until people were back in their houses.
Deidre Jones has been staying at Waipatu marae but is determined she and her family will return to their home.
"This is still our home, regardless of the disaster we've had. Everyone else in Waiohiki feels that way," Jones said.
"We're coming back. It's just going to take a while".
The silt-covered and cracked path in Waiohiki, Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
Te Kaha Hawaikirangi said the forecast for more heavy rain on Friday afternoon was a worry because there was still so much water and mud to clean up.
But he backed his community and their resilience.
"Whānau here in Waiohiki have been brave and just mahi-ing up. We want to rebuild and return home as soon as we can".
Flooding was still visible in Waiohiki, Napier after Cyclone Gabrielle on 23 February, when rain started falling again. Photo: RNZ / Jemima Huston
