More homes in Napier have been declared uninhabitable, following Monday's devastating storm.
Barker Rd resident Tracey Tasovac returned home for the first time after Monday's storm to find the contents of her garage badly damaged by flood waters. Photo: RNZ / Anusha Bradley
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence says as of 4pm this afternoon, 225 homes had been assessed, and 30 are not fit to live in.
Eleven homes on Napier Hill are severely damaged, as are two in the suburb of Marewa.
Affected residents are evacuating to welfare centres set up in Napier and Hastings, or to friends and family.
Civil defence controller Ian McDonald said it was too early to say how much it would cost to fix the damage.
However, safety inspections of dozens more properties are likely to be completed tomorrow, and the longer term challenge will be finding permanent accommodation for people currently in emergency accommodation.
Welfare checks will also continue.
"Multi-agency teams also continue to check people's welfare and well-being in the most severely impacted suburbs of Maraenui, Mārewa and Pirimai and to coordinate support to affected residents, Fire and Emergency area manager Ken Cooper said.
"We are working with Kainga Ora to check their tenants living in impacted areas."
Clean-up continues
Mihi and David Alyliffe are enjoying a new lake view from their upstairs balcony over what used to be Whitmore Park.
The downstairs of their Nuffield Avenue home is a different matter.
"We were walking in ankle deep water throughout the whole of the bottom of the house," Mihi Ayliffe said.
Books, electronics and musical instruments are all water damaged, she said.
Mihi and David Alyliffe have a view over the flooded Whitmore Park from their balcony. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
In nearby Barker Road, Tracey Tasovac returned to her home for the first time this morning to find floors flooded and the contents of the garage badly damaged.
"This was all stacked neatly ... it was all household stuff in here. My mobility scooter, all our camping gear ... personal family photos."
Her treasured items now lay in disarray across the garage floor, water logged and most likely unsalvageable.
"Oh my god ... I'm in shock. This is much worse that I thought," she said as she surveyed the scene for the first time.
While the beneficiary had contents insurance, it would be a struggle to pay the excess, though she counted herself luckier that some in the area.
Barker Road is one of the lowest lying streets in Napier, and the water here was still ankle-deep this morning.
Another resident, Shannon McKay, describes the moment her neighbours had to be evacuated from the flood waters late on Monday night.
"They were flooded, they were on their barbecue table waiting."
The clean-up also continued in Napier's CBD.
Music Machine owner Richard Jackman was counting his losses after dozens of instruments and gear were damaged by water pouring in through his roof on Monday night.
He estimated the retail value of the damage was around $70,000.
"That's probably about a third of our stock."
It could not have come at a worst time, with Christmas only around the corner and new stock hard to find as supplies have been disrupted by the pandemic.
"The hardest part is the stuff we won't be able to replace."
The government this morning announced it was putting $100,000 into the Napier Mayoral Relief Fund, to help people get back on their feet.