Cyclone Gabrielle: Swollen river carries off Auckland surf club deck

Tuesday, 14 February 2023

Bethells Beach Surf Club didn't escape the wrath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

A West Auckland lifeguard team has been evacuated from its base following a landslip at the edge of the clubhouse.

The Waitākere River swelled as heavy rain and wind from Cyclone Gabrielle battered the area overnight, causing a bank beside the Bethells Beach Surf Live Saving Club to collapse on Tuesday morning.

A video shows the deck floating down the Waitākere River.

The surf club was originally several metres away from the river – it now teeters on the edge of it.

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The surf life saving clubhouse was swallowed up by the swollen Waitākere River.

Lifesaving operations manager James Lea urged people to stay away from West Coast beaches on Tuesday.

'There's still significant surf, extremely dangerous conditions,” he said.

The water came up all the way to the clubhouse on Tuesday morning.

The patrol had been closed for the day, with the club’s rescue gear relocated to nearby residents' homes for security.

Lifeguards had been on site on Monday and stayed overnight.

The slip occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning and the group swiftly got out.

Access to the area remained limited on Tuesday afternoon, with teams from Search and Rescue working alongside the local fire service in attempts to gain access.

Te Henga Rd near Bethells Rd was closed.

Auckland Transport was working to get cut-off communities connected again, particularly in West Auckland.

Piha, Muriwai and Karekare have all been cut off by large slips covering the roads.

Wellsford is also inaccessible from the south.

Waitākere ward councillor Shane Henderson urged locals to check on their neighbours.

“With power outages and the current difficulties reaching some areas in the west, people need to look out for each other,” Henderson said.

“Until roads are cleared and support teams can get in, communities need to make sure their neighbours are ok or ask for help if they need it.”

Since Monday, Auckland Transport has received 206 calls from Aucklanders reporting road issues.