Three people are dead, and another is missing as wild weather and heavy rains wreak widespread damage in Auckland, with flooding, evacuations and transport chaos.
Muriwai Lifeguard SAR team leader Glenn Gowthorpe said the volunteer brigade and two other brigades were called to Ararimu Valley Rd around 10pm Friday to assist five members of an extended family.
“When we got there, the rain had eased, the wind had died down, but the water was still rising, so there was some urgency to get them out.”
About 24 people assisted, including firefighters, police, St. John and lifeguards.
After a “thorough risk assessment,” two boats sailed 200 yards up the flooded ramp, navigating downed power and telephone lines, as well as fallen trees. Local residents had tried to save the family but failed when their boat capsized.
The house was “completely flooded” and lifeguards could not access the doors due to the water pressure. They managed to get through a window, locate all five members and take them to waiting boats.
“The water in the house was a little bit chest high and there was a poor little 3 year old child, actually a heartbreaking picture, sleeping on a couch.
“The couch floated in the water and the lifeguards had to help this little boy out the window into the boat and back to safety where St. John and Fenz and other lifeguards were.”
“At one point the boy didn’t wake up. He opened his eyes, looked up and closed them again, and continued to sleep… That kind of caught the hearts of the lifeguards a little bit.”
Soon after, the team received reports of concerns about an 80-year-old woman who had not been heard from for over an hour.
Gowthorpe said the crew reported that the scene was like a “disaster movie”.
“You couldn’t read about it. They pulled their inflatable lifeboat up to the house. They were level with the roof of the second floor, grabbing hold of the gutter of the house to hold onto next to the house while lifeguards scrambled onto it. the roof, found a window, entered the house and found the lady waist-deep in water.
They then carried her out the window, leaving behind all her belongings and cats. Gowthorpe said the crew tried to keep it “light-hearted”.
“They asked her when she last sneaked out of the bedroom window on the second floor of her house…”
Gowthorpe said the woman did not realize the seriousness of the situation.
“She thought she was on the second floor and she would be fine. But the water was still rising, there were trees that were becoming unstable… we definitely saved these people.”
He said neighbors applauded the crew as people were brought to safety.