Landslip - looking for help
of a practical nature, and/or positive vibes.
This past Friday the Auckland area experienced a record daily rainfall after an already wet summer. The scope of the damage it caused is shocking. Unfortunately my property was one that was seriously affected. There is a massive slip off the NE corner of my house, only 2 metres from the house itself. The house and the rest of the cliffside that slipped is still stable so far, even after the continuing more moderate rain since Friday. The forecast for tomorrow though is for heavy rain again. While I wait for the assessor to come and have a look and arrange for a geotechnical engineer I asked a plumber to temporarily repair the storm water pipe that was broken off with the slip and try to redirect it somewhere safer. The house being poised close to steep drop-offs on two sides makes it difficult. The rest of the property from the house goes uphill. Hopefully his immediate temporary solution will help through the coming heavy rain. He will redirect the drainage pipe down the other side of the drop off in the direction of the creek and attach a roll of plastic to take it further downhill. I don’t know how he will manage getting the plastic through the dense and steep bush, but I will soon find out. It is a holiday today and the shops are closed so he can’t get what would be better - a long corrugated drainage pipe. When it rains it pours.
I’m just praying for the land to remain stable and the property not deemed irreparable. I don’t want to leave my wonderful paradise and beautiful refuge of the past 26 years. As you might have seen in photos it’s a treasure.
I have my bags packed in case, and my neighbours have invited me to stay there if it becomes more threatening.
Comments
Well, hell.
Sorry to hear about this Janis. Above all, keep you and yours in a safe place. Those slides can happen suddenly. I'm sure you know, of course.
Hoping for the best for you.
Thank you, dear traveler
It happened overnight, and I must have been deeply asleep not to have heard it. I am still in a bit of a state of shock, but slowly accommodating to the reality. The plumber just started his work so I'm sitting here wishing him safety on his way down the slippery slope. I've never known more 'can do' people than I've met here. It is a natural part of a culture that grew up isolated from the rest of the world with only the resources available in their environment.
Get out and be in a safe place if
your home slides down the hill.
You can meet with the contractors and insurance people by appointment.
Any quick emergency repairs the contractor does now can be upgraded down the road.
Best of luck. I am so sorry.
My best wishes for your paradise to remain yours.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Thank you otc
I feel safe enough to stay until tomorrow when the rain will become heavy. Thank you for your well wishes and big heart. I joked about floating away before this event when we were getting so much rain, but didn't expect this. I'm a bit of a dreamer who tends at times not to give enough weight to the reality.
Oh noes
major bummer to lose your home that way
dig-in, best of luck to you
Thanks QMS
I hope it doesn't slip-slide away, and stays put. There are major wake-ups and lessons here one way or the other.
Sam and I are sending positive vibes!
I hope that there is an easy fix for this. I can’t offer any advice, but I have an unlimited source of positive vibes! Keep us informed….
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
Thank you snoopy
I can feel the strength of your positive vibes. I'm sure Sam is also receiving them.
Best wishes Janis
I know what this feels like. I'm glad you have friends in the area, and "can do" people. Unfortunately there is a shortage of can do people where I live because 40,000 homes were damaged across Florida, and about 10 percent of those in my area. I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone. I know it's best to think of just being safe and healthy as the most important thing but the potential loss of one's long time residence is a difficult challenge.
I hope this ends up as being just a close call or near miss, We've had those as well over the years, and the sense of relief was wonderful. Help from the community and first responders makes a great deal of difference.
語必忠信 行必正直
Hi soryang
I know you know this experience well, and I appreciate your understanding and well wishes.
It was comforting to read "I hope this ends up as being just a close call or near miss."
Thank you
The plumber completed safely a temporary diversion
Hopefully tomorrow he will manage a better temporary diversion with more material.
The local community, and kiwis in general are very community oriented. It's a blessing.
positive vibes...
you don't happen to have some sky hooks do you?
i was reading about the flooding in auckland tonight and wondering how you were doing. i'm so sorry to hear that your home was damaged. i hope that your plumber works things out for now and maybe in the near future an engineer can look into more permanent structural shoring up.
take care and get out if you feel like you might be in danger.
Sky hooks
unfortunately I couldn't find ones that could lift the weight ; ).
Thank you joe
Bummer news, Janis
Please stay safe. I hope everything turns out for thee best.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Thank you Social
I will do my best to stay safe and protect this wonderful piece of earth.
All of a sudden I am not able to record photographically the beauty of the place. It's been difficult to record the destruction photos the insurance co. needs.
I keep needing to remind myself of the constant pleasure I have enjoyed here, and to continue always to honour it.
Well dang...
Oh my! That is scary... sounds like just too much water in the soil without being able to dry out. Yikes! I, and we, sure hope you are OK, and all is well there for you! Our best most powerful thoughts on keeping you and your mountain in tact are being sent... take care and play it safe!
be well!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Thank you loyal friend
for your best and most powerful thoughts. They are comforting.
I've been listening to this musical piece for comfort as well ...
[video:https://youtu.be/zb3Lle1hATA]
janis,
wishing you well, I know you have good judgment, and I know you are there seeing what the condition is, but after seeing pictures of recent landslides in California I tend to agree with on the cusp and dystopia and hope you will possibly go and stay with friends until things are secured. Peace and Love.
Thank you Linda
for your reinforcement to trust in my judgement. I will sleep at home tonight and go to my wonderful neighbours for a sleepover tomorrow. I will take one day at a time and find confidence in the way my understanding and feeling takes me.
Dang, Dang, Dang!
I'm so sorry to hear this. I've friends affected by landslips here in the PacNW. It's not fun, it's not easy. I'm so sorry, so sorry. My thoughts are with you!
I hope when it all dries out, and everything is evaluated, that your house is safe and secure and you can feel comfortable being there. Hugs and love.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Thank you Sima
Your thoughts and wishes are very welcome, as is all your support for the community here.
My thoughts...
are with you Janis.
Without knowing more about the situation it sounds like you may need a retaining wall to stop the erosion.
Fingers and toes crossed for you, old friend.
Cheers JtC
It will definitely need some major retaining. A ceiling above NZ would be helpful too ; ).
Be as safe as you can!
What a mess. Hang in there... Best possible vibes sent.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSlt8-fmvas width:400 height:300]
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Thanks ufs
"Hang in there" is exactly what I'm hoping for.
A little something to give you a smile
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
I hope the ground
beneath your home and all around it for that matter, stays strong and in place. What a terrible problem to be facing, I'm so very sorry. The main thing of course is for you to stay safe and I know you will do that.
Sending you best thoughts and wishes.
Thank you rand
Your thoughts and wishes are very much appreciated.
OMG, Janis, it is horrible to live through a time
when a paradise shows its true nature and turns into a monster. I can relate a little bit.
Each time there is heavy rain in Maui, the streets are flooded and closed for safety reasons, I think in horror of mudslides and rocks gliding downwards. One of the most famous tourist tours on Maui is a trip to Hana on Hana Highways. It's a most beautiful highway and the most dangerous trip when rain pours down for days.
I pray for you and your safety and hope your house can be saved. Don't lose your mind and hope. Sometimes a catastrophy turns out to be a life saver in hindsight.
I hope you can keep in touch with c99p and give us your terrible news nevertheless.
Hugs, love, peace and hope, my big sister and bigger Freundin.
PS. And if all things go down, I have a little room and a bed and will cook something. Come on over any day.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Thank you dear freundin
Check out the update below. for some better news.
If we float away maybe we can meet at Hamburg port ; ).
all my love
..... to you in this dangerous situation.
Please preserve yourself above all! Things may come and go, but our world needs you in it!
So please do be careful!!
Love -- Sean
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Hi Sean
You put a big smile on my face and in my heart. It's always so nice to meet you again. Be well.
Update, with some encouraging news
My confidence and safety has had a boost. Yesterday the plumber diverted the storm water from the roof away from the slip. He managed in the rain and mud to drag 75 metres of flexible drainage pipe down the steep slope at the other corner of the house, and climb back up again. He got the piping close enough to the creek and far enough away from the house to make the situation somewhat more secure.
The assessor came yesterday to take photos and explain the EQC (Earthquake Commission) process. He said the process will take at least 6 months, starting in 4-6 weeks with the investigation of a geotechnical engineer. Even though this assessor has no geotechnical knowledge I asked him whether from his experience of travelling around all day looking at slips, he thought the property would be ‘condemned’ by EQC. He said he didn’t think so, but that will be determined by the engineer. So another little glimmer of hope.
I stayed over at my neighbours last night because of the heavy rain predicted. When I returned home after a fair amount of heavy rain everything was still in the same place, so that was a very welcome sight.
Even though so much is still unclear and unpredictable it’s looking brighter, there’s even some blue sky starting to show for the first time in quite a while now.
Thank you all very much for your support, care and love. It is deeply appreciated.
Time for blue skies
When I read your update I suddenly found my mind full of Willie Nelson singing Irving Berlin's Blue Skies. That's song is almost 100 years old, but you can have it today even if you don't have a recording of it.
Here are the lyrics, you already know the melody:
***
Blue skies smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies do I see
Blue birds singing a song
Nothing but blue skies from now on
I never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly by
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothing but blue skies from now on
Blue skies smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies do I see
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothing but blue skies from now on
Blue skies smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies do I see
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothing but blue skies from now on
Blue skies smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies do I see
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothing but blue skies from now on
***
You're going to be okay. One day at a time. Blue skies from now on.
traveler
I've always loved Willie Nelson's version of that song. He seems to set just the right mood. Thank you for the lyrics and your trust.
A slight aside ...
I just read this article, a very condensed history of the EQC, the national body that deals with events such as the recent and continuing rain destruction in the Auckland area and beyond. As with so many early social and economic government protections, support and money has declined. As this article points out, it’s time for a meaningful discussion and re-thinking.
I think this authors perspective will resonate with others no matter where they live.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/now-is-the-time-to-re-think-eqc
ps
I am in awe of the now obvious significance of my two favourite NZ trees in supporting the land, in addition to being so beautiful and supporting so much bird life.
On each corner of the slip two proud Nikau still stand at the edge. They are my markers of any shifts. The ancient Puriri below held the bank from slipping further. I need to find a way to remove all the debris at the base of its trunk for its continued health. The plumber suggested that, and it is quite an astute observation that I will take on board. What an advantage to have the help of a plumber who grew up here and knows the landscape and its life so intimately.