Nelson woman devastated after landslide makes 'absolutely stable' home unlivable

Sunday, 21 August 2022

Sue Simpson in her home in Sunningdale Drive, Nelson. A landslide swept through her property, filling it with mud.

Sue Simpson will likely never be able to return to her Nelson home. Her house alongside others on Sunningdale Drive had been red stickered, deemed uninhabitable.

Simpson was evacuated by firefighters at around 2am Saturday morning, after a landslide came crashing down off the hill behind her home.

The slip had devastated her property, mud filled every room, in the garage it was waist deep, she said.

“It took three people to shut the garage door, the mud just kept coming.”

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A “devastated” Simpson surveys the damage inside and outside her Nelson home.

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Simpson was told by the council the build was “absolutely” stable.

She built the home two and a half years ago. Simpson had previously lived on a hill, but decided to buy land on the flat in Ngawhatu Valley, thinking it would be safer to build on, she said.

“It was a lovely home, I am devastated.”

“I don’t think Nelson should be building on these sorts of hills. I was told by the council this build was absolutely stable.”

The force of the landslide had shifted the house forward causing a wall to give way and destroyed the kitchen.

Most of her valuable belongings had been removed from the house. But, the garden she had invested thousands of dollars into was unrecognisable, buried under the landslide.

“There are daffodils and magnolias sitting above the mud.”

A slip also fell on the house next door to Simpson’s. The force of the landslide had shifted the house forward causing a wall to give way.

The renters had moved out of the property at around 5am Saturday morning, a neighbour said.

“They were packing up their things in the dark.”

They were still inside when the landslide jolted the house, she said.

Nelson College for Girls staff members work to clear mud from a home in Sunningdale Drive, Nelson, as residents and friends do their best to remove mud from landslides.

At the end of Sunningdale Drive, residents were coming to terms with the harsh realities of a lengthy clean-up.

Lake Clearwater volunteer firefighters had travelled up from Ashburton to help with clean-up.

Volunteer firefighter Elaine Brake said they had done three or four big jobs since arriving.

She said community sprits remained high.

“People here are amazing, their cup is half full.”

Teachers from Nelson College for Girls worked to clear out the yard of a colleague. A slip that come down overnight Friday, had buried the yard in rocks and mud.

Terry Beggs said they began working on the property on Saturday and had made progress, but it would be a lengthy task.

Thankfully, the inside of the house had avoided damage, he said.