Ruined cars, broken belongings and ripped up gardens have emerged from floodwaters in West Auckland after Monday night's deluge.
Kumeū Gym owner Cassie Keegan expects that very little will be salvageable because the water was contaminated. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
Bethells Beach remains cut off, an unknown number of people are out of their houses - and one group of boot camp companions has been rallying together to tackle the clean-up.
In Taupaki, the mess covering people's properties is described as "filthy.. boggy, slimy...muddy, slippery, revolting," by resident Sharon.
She woke up to waves lapping at her front deck and even saw a carp swimming past on Monday night - despite it being an inland community.
Her house survived, but today she was counting the casualties in her garage and front yard.
"My car's been written off and the truck won't work either. Dad works from home - got a big garage. Everything's ruined," she said.
Taupaki resident Sharon woke to find waves lapping at her front deck on Monday. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
Amid alert level 4 restrictions, some residents have managed to find a helping hand for the clean-up.
Fences were also damaged. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
Mike Lockton is also in Taupaki and among the half dozen members of the Mad Fit boot camp who leapt into action and donned their PPE when they heard about the damage to their trainers' house.
"We've just come to pitch in and clean up around the yard to make things safe for Ben and Jamie, just to help make things safe for them and their young family," he explained.
"The fence is completely bowled over. There was a metre and a half of water here so lots of the things in the shed have been destroyed, and the back garage, which is a sleep-out - a lot of the furniture in there's been destroyed. So we're just going through trying to get out and salvage what we can. What we can't is going in the skip."
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has clarified it is okay to get a hand for urgent work, as long as people follow public health measures, keep track of who they are with and do not gather in large groups.
People are urged to consider whether the work can wait, and still physical distancing where possible.
Tradies - including plumbers, electricians and locksmiths - can also work, where there is immediate risks to health and safety, Hipkins said.
But some of them who would like to be helping are caught up in the flooding.
Daniel Bott's work van was damaged in the flood and now won't start. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
In Huapai, Water Tank Cleaning owner Daniel Bott was trying - unsuccessfully - to start his work van today, one of three cars on the driveway which was submerged.
"Nothing will start. Total severe flood damage. The flood also took out my tool shed which has taken out all my electrical gear - so my livelihood," he said.
In true level 4 style, Kumeū Gym owner Cassie Keegan said she was watching remotely from home, when the floodwaters swallowed up dozens of exercise machines.
"My husband Rob had some text messages to say there'd been flooding in Kumeū so he hopped on our cameras," she said.
"We could see in here that the water was about calf deep."
Daniel Bott's work van was one of three cars on the driveway to be submerged. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
She said the water was contaminated with septic waste - and expects very little will be salvageable.
Auckland Council has had response teams out assessing the damage today and is yet to confirm how many houses are uninhabitable.
A spokesperson said there would be at least two groups of people in emergency accommodation tonight, while others are bunking down with family and friends.
Two Civil Defence Centres at 6 Henderson Valley and the Kumeū Community Centre were open earlier and were expected to close at 6pm.
