Nicole MacDonald/Supplied
A house in Rai Valley, Marlborough slid onto Ronga Rd after the foundations failed during flooding in August.
A Marlborough woman left homeless in the August floods faced trauma and theft, but also incredible community support, in the days that followed, her granddaughter says.
Jayne Hewetson and her friend Donald were lucky to escape when their Rai Valley rental was washed off its foundations by a landslide, about 3.30am on August 20.
Four days of very heavy rain, at the end of a very wet winter, caused many waterlogged hillsides to give way that week in the top of the south. Hewetson’s rental was one of more than 1000 homes damaged or destroyed.
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The storm pushed the house off its foundations, down a hill and onto Ronga Rd.
Hewetson’s granddaughter Nicole Macdonald, who helped collect donations for her grandmother in the days that followed on Givealittle, said she was shocked to hear her grandmother’s full account of the night for the first time when she visited from Christchurch in September.
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“It sounded so much more horrific than they let on previously,” Macdonald said.
“The house had started shifting as they got out, Nana rushing to get her things, [she] had a window burst right next to her and poor Donald slipped and fell when they did get outside. Nana only had her slippers on.”
The house had come to a stop in the middle of Ronga Rd, surrounded by mud and debris, vehicles and a crumpled caravan. Hewetson’s car was found halfway up a tree, sitting on a high bank of mud, Macdonald said.
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Jayne Hewetson’s car is discovered halfway up a tree, on a high bank of mud from the landslide that moved her rental.
“When they finally made it to the neighbours, they were absolutely soaked because it was just torrentially raining at that point. They both still have some bruises from the night.”
The house was blocking Ronga Rd for several days, the only road between State Highway 6 at Rai Valley and the northwestern bays of the Marlborough Sounds, along with flooding and road damage in the area.
Hewetson was unable to re-enter the house immediately due to live power lines being affected by the slip.
Justin Morrison, who lives in the Ronga Valley, took in a couple whose house slid down a hill onto the road.
Eventually some bedding and clothing was retrieved, but much of their belongings could not be salvaged after sitting in the mud and water that had filled the house.
“They are still terribly gutted about losing their memories. Things like photos, family items, even Nana’s mum’s ashes were buried in the mud,” Macdonald said.
“They are afraid to go up the Rai again and say they will never move back.”
Anthony Phelps/Stuff
The house on Ronga Rd, surrounded by mud and debris.
The house had to be pulled apart in order to get the road cleared.
“We also found out some lowlifes went through the vehicles that were pushed into the paddocks, and [they] had things stolen from them like the batteries and Donald’s sunglasses,” Macdonald said.
However, Macdonald wanted to convey the whole family’s gratitude for the amount of support shown from neighbours and the wider community, offering donations and sending messages of kindness, Macdonald said.
Nicole MacDonald/Supplied
The house travelled several metres down the hill, from roughly the power pole far left, to the road.
The Givealittle page reached $5588 from 96 generous donors from across the country, many with words of encouragement and well wishes that had been a huge boost during “a very stressful few weeks”, Macdonald said.
They were also granted funds from the Mayoral Relief Fund.
“They have settled into a small one-bedroom studio temporarily just outside of Canvastown and are in good spirits,” she said.
“They have had an offer for a more long-term rental just out of Pelorus so are in the process of deciding on that. It’s a little more isolated but finding a place on their very small budget has been difficult and stressful, so they are very thankful that this rental has been offered. From what I’ve heard, the owner has gone above and beyond to be helpful and offer the place so we are truly thankful.”
