92-year-old’s decline heartbreaking in long wait to return home after devastating floods

An elderly resident in West Auckland’s Kumeu¯ is among a group of people still unable to return home, after extensive flooding inundated the region months ago.

Diana Crawford, 92, woke to floodwaters throughout her home on Boord Cres on August 31. She was fortunate ‘‘not to have died’’ after being hospitalised with pneumonia from wading through water as she escaped her house.

Her daughter, Deborah

Crawford, said it had been ‘‘heartbreaking’’ to watch her mother’s mental health deteriorate after she left hospital – as she cannot return to her home during a lengthy renovation.

‘‘[Diana] went from – pre-flood – doing her own shopping, driving around and being independent, to not eating and hardly moving.

‘‘It’s more the isolation than anything that’s had a major impact on her. Most people don’t take into account the mental toll this takes.’’

Crawford’s mother is now staying with family in Kaukapakapa, 30 minutes from her home. Deborah Crawford brings her back to Kumeu¯ once a week. She described watching ‘‘silent tears’’ roll down her mother’s face whenever she returns.

‘‘She wants to stay in her home, she doesn’t want to go back. [Kaukapakapa] is just not her environment.’’

Crawford and her mother aren’t alone. A recent Auckland Council civil defence and emergency management committee report showed nine West Auckland families are still in emergency housing.

Eighty homes were ‘‘significantly damaged’’ by the floods across Huapai, Waimauku, Kumeu¯ , Ranui and Piha and four were deemed uninhabitable.

Preliminary figures from the Insurance Council showed insured losses of $56.5 million from more than 2400 claims.

After months of back-and-forth with her insurance company, Crawford said she’s finally seen some light at the end of the tunnel.

‘‘We’re finally at the stage now where we’re asking for quotes, it will be quite a big one,’’ she said.

‘‘For me, I wouldn’t worry about it as much as I’d weather it through. But for my mum, she’s the major concern. She’s in her twilight years, she hasn’t got lots of time left and she just wants to live in her own house.’’