The town was struggling even before the cyclone. Its housing stock was poorly built and in short supply. The disaster damaged a third of its 1,500 homes, leaving many beyond repair. Some residents have moved back into homes without running water, working bathrooms and, in some cases, walls. Hundreds are estimated to be still living in temporary accommodation.
"There is a feeling of being forgotten," said Lewis Ratapu, general manager of Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust, a group that is helping Wairoa rebuild.
Wairoa is not alone. The cyclone killed 11 people and marked the worst storm in a century. About 1,600 homes across New Zealand remain uninhabitable while authorities decide what can be repaired, and what should be abandoned. There is a backlog of roads and bridges awaiting repairs. Questions linger over the country's infrastructure resilience and its emergency response to future weather events.
Dr Nick Wilson, a public health professor from the University of Otago, is pushing for a national inquiry into the cyclone's impact and New Zealand's emergency response.
Denne historien er fra February 16, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra February 16, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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