Tapawera Residents Struggle to Return Home Amid Major Landslides

Residents of Tapawera are facing an uphill battle to return to their homes after a series of devastating landslides have left several properties cut off and the community in disarray.

Just days after a second major storm swept through the region, the area has been hit by another wave of destruction. A massive chunk of the mountainside collapsed onto the Wangapeka West Bank Road, near Tapawera, burying the road with a thick layer of dirt and debris. This has left at least four properties completely cut off from the main road, making it nearly impossible for residents to access their homes.

Aspect Contracting's Darren Richardson has been working tirelessly to clear the road and create a path for residents to navigate through the rubble. He describes the process as a constant battle against the elements.

"You just bore your way in and make yourself a bench with the digger and just start cutting into it. You got to keep an eye on what's above you. So if you feel any - see any rocks come down you just get out," Richardson said.

Despite the efforts, the road remains largely impassable, with large piles of logs, mud, and debris blocking the way. For residents like Jo Shaw, the situation has been nothing short of devastating.

"It's just devastating for everyone I think. I smashed my phone accidentally, I've now got no phone to even try and find out what's going up there. So I'm using everyone else's phone, can I get through? Is my cat ok? Is the house still standing?" Shaw said.

Shaw has been cut off from her home for several days and is now relying on friends to check on her property. The storm has also damaged her water supply, forcing her to stay with a friend in a caravan.

Meanwhile, the Tasman Civil Defence has deployed 13 teams to assess the damage across the region. Areas like Tadmore, Rocky River, Dovedale, Baton River, and Wai-iti have all been affected by the flooding.

Della Webby, a community connector for Tapawera, said the emotional toll on the community has been immense.

"It's been incredibly hard on the community. The anxiety and emotion of people has been extremely high. At the first event, a lot of people were just in shock, and now they are starting to crumble," Webby said.

Many residents are still under a boil water notice, and the community center has been set up as a water distribution point. Bottled water is being provided to those in need, but the situation remains challenging.

For local businesses, the damage has been equally severe. Hayden Oldham, from New Hoplands, described the clean-up as "back to the start." His engineering workshop and hop farm have been buried under layers of silt and mud, making it difficult to continue operations.

"Everything we cleaned up has been spread back out and gone through sheds and gardens," Oldham said. "We've had floods here before but never this bad - and not twice."

The impact of the storm has been felt across the region, with many residents still trying to come to terms with the destruction. As the community works to recover, the need for support and resources has never been greater.

With the ongoing clean-up and the emotional toll on the community, the road to recovery will be long and challenging. But for the residents of Tapawera, the fight to return home continues.