Family's precious items ruined after flood hits as they move house

Sunday, 29 January 2023

Helicopter footage shows extent of damage suffered in Auckland

A West Auckland family hit by Friday’s flooding has been left with some of their most precious items ruined by mud.

PJ Chu-Ling’s family rents a Kāinga Ora home on Clover Drive in Henderson, possibly the worst-hit street in the city.

Friday was supposed to be the family’s last day living in the house as they had bought a property in Pukekohe and were in the process of moving.

But the water rose and flooded the garage, where their belongings were packed in moving boxes.

* Aucklanders urged to 'hang in there' with reprieve on the horizon

* Auckland floods: More than 6000 insurance claims lodged, with more expected

PJ Chu-Ling is one of the Kāinga Ora residents in Henderson whose house was hit by the flooding.

“This was our last week, then bugger, bummer, man,” 37-year-old Chu-Ling said.

Are you affected by the floods? Email aucklandreporters@stuff.co.nz

Thick mud now covers the garage and precious family items.

Family photo books, children’s school certificates and clothing were all soaked and covered in a thick layer of mud.

'I've got no insurance, straight up, none of us here do, in the hood, it's gone,” Chu-Ling said this weekend.

“We managed to clean some today and dump some in the bin.'

Chu-Ling’s son’s school certificate was covered in mud.

When Stuff asked how Chu-Ling was feeling, he looked dejectedly into the distance.

'I don't know how to describe it. I just want to get my stuff and get out of here.'

Chu-Ling wasn’t at the house when the water hit – he had just left to take his father-in-law to the new house.

Chu-Ling said the water rose up out of the drain at the end of his driveway.

He could see the water moving up the driveway as his family was loading the van.

However, he was used to a little flooding from a drain at the bottom of the driveway.

'Here's me thinking it's going to stop here at least,' he said, pointing halfway up the driveway.

His younger sister, Fa'apopo Tofae, remained at the house and video called Chu-Ling to show him the water that had filled the garage.

“I thought ‘my life, everything I have worked for is going down the drain’.”

'This is our neighbourhood, we look after each other.'

On Saturday, Chu-Ling hadn’t heard from Kāinga Ora.

The housing provider said on Sunday it had contacted most of its affected customers in Clover Rd and neighbouring Mayfair Place.

“Our teams have visited the properties [on Sunday] to assess our customers’ needs and property damage,” acting chief executive Tāmaki Makaurau/Te Tai Tokerau John Tubberty said.

“Some of the customers were not at home so we’ll continue to place calls to check in with them.

“We’re also working with other agencies to ensure every one of our customers who are displaced by flooding has alternative accommodation. The priority now is to ensure affected whānau have somewhere to stay.”

Maintenance partners were carrying out repairs and staff were making welfare calls to tenants in the hardest-hit areas of Auckland, including the west and south and parts of Mount Roskill.