Gita's wrath: Aerial shots reveals storm devastation

Author: Frances Cook,
Publish Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2018, 3:30PM

Whole trees, mud and silt are blanketing parts of the Nelson and Tasman regions, with despairing locals wondering how long it will take to repair the damage.

Cyclone Gita's aftermath has created power outages, blocked roads and left water cut off in some places.

Live: Gita wreaks havoc, and there's more rain to come

One of the areas impacted is Marahou, where forestry logs have been swept downstream and taken out cabins and homes.

While the waters have receded, they've left behind a foot of thick mud across homes, gardens and paddocks.

Ex-cyclone Gita damage in the Riwaka area, Nelson Tasman district: Contractors work to clear a slip at the bottom of the Takaka Hill. (Photo / Tim Cuff)

Philip Reed, 54, was helping neighbours with the cleanup, and had mud up to his knees and elbows.

"I was here overnight, and I saw that entire gully just pop. Trees, whole bits of hillside were going past.

"It washed one guy's car down the river.

"It's probably 50 years since I've seen this. It's just devastating. We don't quite know what we're going to do, but that's just the way it is I suppose.

Reed said the road was blocked, and he expected it would be weeks before it would be fixed.

He planned to walk and hitch-hike into town for supplies later.

"Even the concrete bridges are underwater, all our water supplies are absolutely gone, no tanks left in the gullies, no water pipes.

"My uncle down the road has massive, big pine logs all over his paddocks. It's pretty devastating."

Reed said they needed the roads cleared as soon as possible, as well as water supplies fixed.

Adam Mills, 50, has lost the cabin where his family would stay on hunting trips, hosting barbecues for friends and enjoying being cut off from the world.