A Westland woman and her young daughter are lucky to be alive after being caught in a flash flood that swept their vehicle off the road at the Totara River, near Ross, early this morning.
The mother climbed out of the partly-submerged vehicle but was immediately caught out by deep water and was left clinging to a tree in the dark, between 12.30am and 1am.
Ross Volunteer Fire Brigade station officer Charlie McBeath said the river had apparently backed up behind the bridge, on State highway 6, shooting a surge of floodwater across the main road and sweeping the southbound twin-cab ute off the road.
"Apparently when the mother first got out, the floodwaters had just about reached their peak. When she went into the water she had to grab hold of the tree - it was that bloody deep," Mr McBeath said.
Luckily a passing Westland Milk Products tanker driver spotted the vehicle's headlights over the bank, alerted emergency services, and stayed close by until they arrived.
Mr McBeath said the vehicle was "almost completely submerged", nose first in the flooded roadside ditch to the side of the bridge approach.
"I think when the mother got out she didn't realise how deep it was, and it was lucky the tree was there."
Her young daughter was rescued through an open window because the mother had the foresight to activate the electric windows as soon as she realised she was in trouble.
"It was lucky she did," he said.
The pair were "soaking" but extremely fortunate.
The floodwaters quickly abated just as the pair were rescued.
"They've risen quickly, and then dropped just like that."
Apparently the pair were heading back to Whataroa after a trip away and, "they just wanted to get home".
The woman was still in shock and did not want to talk about their ordeal when contacted at lunchtime.
By Brendon McMahon of the Greymouth Star
