Farmers grab valuables and get out

Josh Adam carries a gas bottle from his Henley sheep, beef and dairy farm with wife Ellie-May...
Josh Adam carries a gas bottle from his Henley sheep, beef and dairy farm with wife Ellie-May Adam (right) last night. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery.
Farmers on the Taieri Plains were given two hours to grab valuables and "just go" as a swollen river was set to breach last night.

Josh Adam said Civil Defence staff visited his sheep, beef and dairy farm in Henley about 9.30pm and gave him and his wife Ellie-May two hours to evacuate as the Taieri River was about to breach.

The decision to "just go" from the farm in Henley Rd was easy, Mr Adam said.

"I’d rather get out while we can."

But first Mr Adam called in his "mates", who lived across the Taieri, to help move valuables to higher ground.

"We just threw everything up on the beds and hoped for the best."

The couple decided to spend last night at Mr Adam’s parents house "up on the hill, about 3km up the road".

Treasured items, such as wedding photos, were taken with them.

When they left, at the end of the driveway "a slip was halfway across" a flooded road.

Mr Adam had  hoped the farm "dodged a bullet" when the rain fell lightly yesterday morning because when it did flood "it usually got us pretty good".

The farm flooded in 1980 and floodwater entered the house.

"If we get a big one it will come in the house."

He was unsure if he would return to a flooded house today.

The sheep and cattle were on some of the 400ha of hill country on the farm and the dairy cows were "on the pad" on the 192ha dairy farm.

The priority today would be getting the stock fed, he said.

"I’ll keep them fed and then just watch the flood."

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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