Although the rain has stopped, about 5,000 hectares of farmland in Northland are still under water. Some land looks like a lake. Some farms are almost completely flooded. It will cost millions of dollars to repair the damaged land after the water disappears. Paddocks will need to be planted with grass seed again. Crops will need to be planted again.
Roads are also damaged. One section of State Highway 1 (SH1) is closed so motorists have to use a long detour. So far, 510mm of rain have fallen in July. Last July, the rainfall was about 80mm for the whole month.
The government has offered some help: people to help with clean up, some financial assistance and some help with tax. Already, the government has given $100,000 for the mayor’s relief fund to help families; however, businesses which were flooded, had no electricity, or no customers have also lost money.
This is not the first time that Northland has suffered damaging floods. Locals say that permanent solutions are needed, not temporary ones, especially for roads. It is really bad for business when the main highway is closed.
Vocabulary
- crops – food plants
- detour – a different, much longer road
- assistance – help
- relief fund – money the mayor can give to help families
- permanent – last forever; opposite: temporary – last for a short time