In February 2023, the North Island of New Zealand was devastated by severe tropical cyclone Gabrielle. The total damages were more than $NZ13.5billion and caused 10,000 people to be displaced. Tragically, 11 people were killed. Michelle Marks, SPASA’s New Zealand regional manager, visited Hawkes Bay, on the North Island’s East Coast, in March to see the transformations caused by the cyclone.
We all watched the Cyclone Gabrielle devastate the East Coast of the North Island and closely followed the flooding in and around West Auckland.
All eyes were on New Zealand and wondered “When will it catch a break?”
Hawkes Bay is where I go a lot to work. It’s a great place to visit and get to know the SPASA members. My most recent trip was however a shock to my system.
It was suggested that I could travel along the Taihape Napier Road if I was on a work trip. I therefore set out to meet Michael Treadwell (SPASA member) who is the Hawkes Bay franchisee for Narellan Pools. It was planned to spend the day together, meet clients, and see some flood-affected pools.
As soon as I reached the Annies crest, I saw the landscape change. Slippages were visible on almost every mountain. Although the drive was slow, I soon came to the first of many 30-kph zones. Signage indicated that there was a road slip ahead and limited the road to one lane. Although the road transport authority did a fantastic job of dividing the affected areas, it was not enough to see the sides of mountains missing or lanes washed away.
The landscape was covered in ruined vineyards and orchards from Fernhill to Onekawa. The roads were littered with silt, carnage and many abandoned houses.
It was total destruction, the result nature’s onslaught. Words and photos cannot even describe the smell, uncertainty, and chaos that had been left behind.
Mike and I set out to see six pools.
We met the owners at the first pool and heard their story. We also saw how they survived.
The insurance company couldn’t give a time frame or indicate when the plan would be implemented. There was discussion about delivering a self-contained unit onsite after the family’s accommodation grant ran out. The property is yellow-stickered, and anyone is not allowed to occupy the property except for short periods to pick up belongings.
The feedback from other clients is a strong support system. They face uncertainty about what they can and cannot do. Many have begun to remove internal plasterboard damaged by rising water levels (up to and above two metres), and have purchased dryers to dry the framework.
Then, we moved to the swimming pools. These once idyllic oases were once a great place to relax at the end of a long day. However, they were now littered by furniture and other debris.
The soil from nearby pine logging had washed into the pools. The pools were green and had up to 1.5m of silt. This made the water dangerous for swimmers. Some had cleaned the decks and tiling around the pools but others didn’t. Their pools were still waiting.
Chris Taylor and Michael Treadwell from Taylors Pools & Spa Services spoke to me. They have more than 70 pools that are still in need of cleaning. The main concerns were how to clean out the silt without dropping the water level too much and keep the structure and surface warranties intact.
They were familiar with all possible scenarios and had spoken to both companies in Christchurch (who had had to deal with liquefaction following the earthquake) as well as companies in Australia that had had to deal with pools of silt. We also sought feedback from NZ pool industry experts.
Slow response from insurance companies. The confirmation that they would proceed with the cleanup of the pools came through only recently, about seven to eight weeks after the cyclone. There has also been a delay in getting the sucker trucks. Until now, they have been prioritized to complete other tasks. However, a truck should be available by mid-April.
Clients will continue to clean what they can during this time of indecisiveness, which results in high-dollar bills.
The state of emergency persists, with thousands of people displaced. Volunteers are helping businesses get back to trading, and families stay together. However, it is slow going.
Hawkes Bay will eventually recover, but the landscape will remain unchanged.
Tips for Cleaning Pools After Floods and Storms.
This story will be featured in Issue 147 of SPLASH! magazine.
Note on the images
SPLASH! We are grateful to the homeowners for allowing us access to their homes and swimming pools, and for agreeing to the publication of these images. Their generosity is remarkable considering their extremely difficult circumstances. SPLASH! SPLASH!
SPLASH! Magazine’s first article, Surviving the Cyclone Gabrielle aftermath appeared first. Magazine.
