Matata five years on

Five years on from the debris flow disaster that struck Matata on 18 May 2005, Mayor Colin Holmes believes “the long and sometimes difficult and controversial road to recovery, will in time become acknowledged as a very good example of community resilience, co-operation and sound decision making.”

Mr Holmes said, “The Council had completed four of the five disaster mitigation projects to help ensure Matata and the surrounding rural areas are safer for residents. And I look forward to the final project, the debris detention structure, also being completed.”

The primary focus of the Whakatane District Council had always been to help the community recover and then to make the community safer.

Mr Holmes explained that the decision to undertake the suite of projects that make up the Matata Regeneration Project was a major undertaking. Particularly given the 2004 floods that impacted the Whakatane District and had also required mitigation works.

“Obtaining funding from Central Government and the support of other agencies, such as New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), OnTrack, the Department of Conservation and Environment Bay of Plenty who have all contributed financially, has been a great outcome for the community,” added Mr Holmes.

In recognising the five years since the major disaster, that saw 538 people evacuated from their homes on 18 May 2005 and an enormous clean-up effort, Mr Holmes acknowledged the efforts of all volunteers and people who worked many hours in excess of what could be expected. “This commitment came out of the generosity and goodwill for the people of Matata.”

Mr Holmes also pays thanks Council staff involved with the project, led by Diane Turner, Haydn Read, Barbara Dempsey, Paul Smith and Jeff Farrell.

The Council Chief Executive Diane Turner, was initially the Recovery Manager following the event and recalls “the early days were about the basics: enabling residents to access their properties, helping them clean and reconnecting homes to the water supply and septic tank”.

“At the same time the burning question was “what happened?”. An initial summary of events by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS) said it was a debris flow triggered by a large amount of rain above the township.

Ms Turner said one of the main challenges was getting all a number of Government agencies to work together. It has also been disappointing that a few people have the right under the Resource Management Act to hold up the mitigation works. “This has proved both costly and time consuming and the impacts have been huge on the affected community.”

“Working with iwi and gaining their unified support has been one of the highlights of my involvement with the Matata community.”

The frustrations of the Matata residents has been understandable said Mrs Turner adding, “However, it has been very important to make Matata safe for the long-term, not just making quick fixes that put people at risk in years to come.”

Ms Turner trusts that when the final project is completed it will help to heal some of the emotional impacts felt by those affected by the disaster.

The Whakatane District Council will today release a booklet commemorating the 5 Years since the 18 May 2005 disaster for all Matata residents and surrounding rural property owners who were affected. Copies of the booklet will also be available from the Matata Community Resource Centre.

The aim of the booklet was to provide a snapshot of the events and impacts on the community and also provide a number of personal accounts.

A number of the companies involved with the Matata Regeneration Projects during the past five years have assisted with the production costs, including major sponsor Tonkin & Taylor, along with Boffa Miskell, Holland Beckett Lawyers and HumberstonePR.

Copies of the Matata 5 Years On, 18 May 2005 to 2010 booklet will be available for sale from the Whakatane Council office in Commerce Street, the Information Centre and the Library with the proceeds going towards the cost of the booklet. For more information please contact Barbara Dempsey Community Projects Manager on 07 306 0500'

SUMMARY OF THE EVENT:

On 18 May 2005, a band of intense rain passed over the catchments behind Matata. *308mm of rainfall fell in the 20-hour period from 10pm on 17 May 2005. Approximately 106mm fell between 10pm on 17 May and 6am on the morning of 18 May 2005. After a relatively dry period until noon, a further 150mm fell between 2pm and 6pm which included:

o A peak one hour depth of 94.5mm (between 4.30pm and 5.30pm)

o A peak 90 minute depth of 125mm (between 4pm and 5.30pm)

· *Rainfall was recorded at Awakaponga, therefore GNS believes the rainfall in the Matata catchments may have been up to 30 per cent higher.

· The rain triggered many landslips, and several large debris flows, which with their associated flooding, destroyed 27 homes and damaged a further 87 properties in Matata and caused extensive damage to Herepuru Road and farmland at either ends of the township.

· A debris flow caused the extensive damage in the vicinity of the Awatarariki and Waitepuru Streams, moving boulders up to 7 meters across!

· A debris flood, a direct consequence of a debris flow, damaged homes and property adjacent to the Awakaponga Stream.

· Properties were damaged and State Highway 2 and the railway were closed for many days due to a debris flow in the vicinity of the Ohinekoao Stream.

· Landslides directly from the hillsides above Matata and beside SH2 to the west, were debris avalanches. These are similar to debris flows, but lack a confining channel.

· There is evidence that equally as large, and larger debris flows have occurred many times during the previous 7000 years, which built the land beneath Matata.

· Historical records indicate that three smaller debris flows have likely occurred since 1860.

· Experts classify debris flows as a type of landslide. They are dense fluid mixtures of all manner of rock, soil, organic debris and water, which move rapidly, and are capable of carrying immense boulders.

· Debris flows are usually accompanied by debris floods, which did occur in Matata, causing damage that extended beyond the debris flows.

· IGNS states that the boulders carried by the debris flows were mostly buried in the streambeds and banks, having fallen from the bluffs above the stream in the past. Most of the harder boulders are derived from strongly welded ignimbrite of the Matahina formation.


STATISTICS

Damage

· 27 Homes destroyed

· 87 Homes and properties damaged

· Evacuation of 538 people

· Extensive damage to local roads

· Destruction of railway bridge and significant damage to railway line

· Closure of SH2 to the west and east of Matata

· Flooding of rural land

· Flooding in Edgecumbe

· Disruption and damage to water and electricity supplies

· Damage to stormwater and septic tank sewerage disposal systems

· Estimated 700,000m3 debris of all kinds in and around Matata

· Locals report 9 caravans swept out to sea

· Locals report 27 vehicles in the Te Awa o Te Atua Lagoon

Debris Volumes

· Awatarariki Catchment approximately 250,000m3

· Waitepuru approximately 100,000m3