Civil Defence would not have hesitated to enter the flood-ravaged Wakamarina Valley during this week's heavy rain had it known residents needed help, the head of Marlborough Civil Defence says.
Ross Hamilton, also the Marlborough District Council emergency services manager, said helicopters and people would have been dispatched to the valley if Civil Defence had been contacted by emergency services.
Civil Defence teams would have been sent via Nelson to get to the damaged areas, he said.
Mr Hamilton said according to Civil Defence legislation, an official state of emergency cannot be declared unless emergency services become overwhelmed and request a declaration be made. Civil Defence did not have the ability to help until an official declaration was made and the process could take as little as an hour.
"The first we knew was when we saw it in the paper. We would have acted straight away if we had known about it," he said.
People in Canvastown and Wakamarina were angry no-one had come to check on them after the deluge early on Tuesday left homes full of mud and roads blocked by slips and torn to pieces.
Mayor Alistair Sowman said this morning "we simply did not know the extent of the damage in the Wakamarina". While phones in the valley were out and there was very limited cellphone coverage, the Marlborough District Council got the message on damage to roads but not the devastation to the area.
"We have to get the message out, people have to connect with us for us to respond," said Mr Sowman.
The first call should have been to police if personal safety was at risk. For other problems, the council's line was active at all times.
Mr Hamilton said it was important for police, the fire service and Civil Defence to work closely together. However, even if Civil Defence had made it past the slips and into the valley, there may not have been much they could do to prevent any damage.
"The damage was already done. It wouldn't have made one bit of difference if we flew in by 2pm that first day," he said. "We would have tried to help them, but you can't stop that force of water."
No communication came through to Civil Defence headquarters or their after-hours service, which they had rerouted to their direct lines by 8pm Monday. There were also enough people to man the phones, he said.
Mr Hamilton went to the valley yesterday and said there was a "hell of a lot of devastation".
"I feel sorry for the poor buggers, really," he said.
"This time of year having that [water] go through your house – none of us would like that. No one would wish that upon anyone."
Mr Hamilton said Winz had also been to the valley, offering what financial assistance it could.
He would not have ignored residents' cries for help, he said.
"As long as I'm in the job we will go out of our way and be proactive."
SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express Last updated 12:00 31/12/2010
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Pelorus Bridge about 8am
Totara Flat
Main road between Pelorus and Dalton's Bridge
Trout Hotel
Wakamarina River, Trout Hotel
State Highway 6 at Canvastown turnoff
Slips near Canvastown
State Highway 6 west of Daltons Bridge
Pelorus River at Daltons Bridge
Canvastown Hall
Pinedale Motor Camp
An Irish band stays dry at Pinedale Motor Camp
Supplied photo
Supplied photo
Supplied photo
Supplied photo
Supplied photo
Washout on the Wakamarina Road
State Highway 6
Main road between Canvastown and Havelock
Onamalutu Valley.
Flooding
Canvastown farmer Kim Huddleston surveys damage to pasture and fencing on his property. He had moved stock to higher ground when the nearby Pelorus river started to rise and did not have any stock losses. Neighbouring farms were not so lucky
The only things crossing State Highway 6 near Canvastown were two cows and even they needed some assistance
Contractors work to clear blocked culvets near a large slip blocking State Highway 6 near Canvastown
Flood debris and silty water litters one end of Havelock Harbour
Motorists wait as Contractors work to clear a large slip on state highway six near Havelock
John Vercoe's property between Para and Koromiko was flooded for the third time this year. He put the tent up for his kids to play in the day before the rain started.
Picton harbour is brown with water from flooded rivers.
Picton Harbour
A family drives towards State Highway 1 through floodwaters on Para Rd, between Picton and Blenheim.
Shyah the dog looks across flood waters in a paddock near Para, between Blenheim and Picton.
Cody Whitelaw of Oxford, Canterbury, wades through water on Para Rd.
Glenn Agnew and Gary Keen at Kaituna Bridge on State Highway 6 inspect taking express reporter Cherie Howie along for the ride.
The Wairau river on State Highway 6 looking upstream.
Large slips dot the hillsides at Okaramio.
The deluge of rain sent hundreds of logs down from a forestry block onto the road.
The deluge sent hundreds of logs down from a forestry block closing the road and damaging power lines.
The deluge sent hundreds of logs down from a forestry block closing the road and damaging power lines.
The deluge sent hundreds of logs down from a forestry block closing the road and damaging power lines.
The deluge sent hundreds of logs down from a forestry block closing the road and damaging power lines.
Chartridge Holiday Park owner
A house bus in floodwaters from the Kaituna River
Harley Davidson in floodwaters from the Kaituna River
The Kaituna River overflowed the stopbanks
Flooded bee hives
Overflowing stopbanks on the Kaituna River
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