Auckland floods: Kainga Ora residents yet to hear from agency after homes swamped

Saturday, 28 January 2023

Seve Uatea’s house was inundated by floodwaters on Friday evening.

State house residents whose houses were left practically unliveable after water, mud and debris swept through their homes during Friday’s flood are yet to hear from Kainga Ora.

Residents of Kainga Ora homes on Clover Drive, Henderson – some of whom had to swim to safety – saw their homes swamped in one of the hardest-hit areas of the city.

Floodwaters filled Safunga and Seve Uatea’s home as they had to pull themselves along a fence line to escape the torrents that swept their car away.

Their house is caked in mud and marks from water stretch nearly 2 metres up on walls, yet by 2pm on Saturday they were still to hear from Kainga Ora.

Video and images from January 27 and 28, 2023 show the extent of the damage caused by flooding after a severe weather event in Auckland.

When contacted by Stuff on Saturday morning, a KO spokesperson said staff were “flat out” and they would respond later in the day.

Just before 2pm, deputy chief executive John Tubberty responded, saying they had received more than 100 calls overnight and about 250 to midday on Saturday.

Tubberty said KO staff were busy making welfare checks on our customers, focussing on hardest hit areas in west and south Auckland – primarily by phone.

Some of those who Stuff spoke to said they were without a phone as they had been damaged in the flood.

Henderson resident Lina Anderson's Kainga Ora house was inundated by floodwaters.

Tubberty said the immediate priority was ensuring customers and staff were safe.

“We’re aware of several properties which are badly damaged, but at this stage it is too early to give a definitive count of homes which are damaged, or unable to be occupied.

“Kāinga Ora, Auckland Emergency Management and MSD will work together to ensure every one of our customers who is displaced by flooding has somewhere to stay tonight.”

Neighbour Lina Anderson was among those who had tried to contact Kainga Ora themselves, but they had been left on hold.

Kainga Ora houses on Clover Drive, Henderson, were hit hard by floodwaters.

“Everything is soaking she said. Fridge and freezer broken.”

Her kids’ favourite toys – including her daughter’s iPad – and school uniforms had washed away, just as school is set to start next week.

“I was prepared, but now it is all gone.

“It was very scary. The water rises up so quick. You try to get your kids out in such a panic. When I tried to get out the water is already near my neck, but I am a short.”

The unprecedented rain in Auckland, saw 245mm of rain at Auckland Airport in the 24 hours from 9am Friday. The previous record was 161.8mm.

Fire crew responded to 719 weather incidents, answered 2242 emergency calls, and made 126 rescues on Friday and in the early hours of Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, it was still working through a backlog of about 1355 less urgent 111 calls from overnight, contacting callers to see whether they still needed assistance.