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Ever since the severe Hawkes Bay flooding that left hundreds of RSE workers displaced last week, Kings House Church in Napier has strived to get them back on their feet.
Many workers based at the Mr Apple Orchards in Hastings were caught up in the flooding, climbing onto the roofs of their accommodations to wait for rescue.
Dolvin Maselusi, who works at the orchard but was unaffected by the flooding, says the men were stranded for a while.
“I felt sorry for them because they were traumatised. Help couldn’t get to them quickly because the roads and bridges were closed,” he says.
Fiona Whiteridge, General Manager of Refugee and Migrant Services at MBIE, says there were no injuries, although around 690 workers were displaced and receiving support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
“Employers are supporting their workers directly. However, some employers have been severely impacted, and NEMA is providing support to their workers.
Six Pacific evacuation sites were set up last week, to provide the workers temporary accommodation, including Kings House Church in Napier.
Church leader, Charles Faletutulu, says around 400 workers stayed at their site on the first night. Many have since been relocated to more suitable accommodations.
“It brings tears to your eyes, thinking about what they have gone through,” he says.
“They came in with maybe just a plastic bag, maybe just a backpack. Some were even able to hold suitcases above [them], and that’s all they had left. I guess it’s just the grace of God that they’ve been able to make it here.”
The wider community has rallied to provide support through donations, including one good samaritan who drove four hours from Wellington to provide extra generators.
“We’ve got a lot of bedding. We’ve got towels and clothes coming in. people from as far as the UK are sending money so we can support the boys that are here,” Faletutulu says.
He adds that his team also focused on raising the workers’ morale after losing their accommodation and possessions.
“We had a bit of a volleyball competition. Some people are playing soccer. The Fijians are playing sevens as they do. We’ve got that going on just to keep their spirits up.”
