Fiordland flooding: Trampers 'super happy to be rescued'

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

Aucklander Margaret Lu was among a group of 11 people who had planned to walk the Routeburn Track. But heavy rain and bad flooding caused them to become stranded.

Margaret Lu says she is beyond grateful to those who rescued her and her friends when they became stranded in severe flooding in Fiordland.

Southland has been hammered by extensive flooding this week, which has closed roads, walking tracks and caused slips across the region.

On Tuesday, a state of emergency was declared for Southland and Gore. The declaration came just a day after one was also made for Milford Sound where 195 tourists were trapped in huts throughout the area.

Among those stranded were Lu and 10 of her work friends and their partners.

Heavy rain caused flooding, slips and road closures in the area.

A helicopter pictured during its rescue attempt.

* Trampers in Fiordland recall 'roaring' noise before hut is hit by a landslide

* Fiordland weather emergency: Conditions went from 'zero to 100' in seconds

Those rescued in the flooding were flown out by helicopter.

* Trapped tourists to remain at Milford Sound as weather hampers rescue effort**

Speaking to Stuff, Lu said her group's plan to walk the Routeburn track was months in the making.

Margaret Lu and her group became stranded due to heavy rain and flooding while walking the Routeburn Track.

After checking weather forecasts and being given the all-clear, she and her friends 'decided to go for it' and set off on the track on Sunday.

The managed to reach the Lake Mackenzie Hut on Monday, but the weather quickly deteriorated around them.

The group were rescued and taken to Te Anau by bus.

Heavy rain caused the closure of walking tracks in the area, stranding the group at the hut.

'We thought it would be bad, but we didn't realise it would be that bad.'

Images of flooding taken around Gore on Tuesday.

'The rain never really stopped,' she said.

About 70 people were stranded at the Lake Mackenzie Hut overnight on Monday - the hut usually accommodates 48 people, Lu said.

Lu's group all had enough spaghetti and chorizo for dinner, and managed to fit 10 people on two mattresses.

The rain continued to pour throughout the night, which woke them up, and there was also thunder and lightning.

She said it was crammed and a little humid in the hut, but everybody seemed to be in good spirits. No-one was panicking, and they also had a hut warden with them.

After Civil Defence declared a state of emergency, Lu's group and the rest of the stranded trampers were rescued by helicopter and flown to Knobs Flat, before being taken to Te Anau by bus.

The group took photos during their rescue and sent them to Stuff.

Speaking about the images, Lu said: 'We looked super happy to be rescued by helicopter.'

She said compared to some of the other stories about trampers getting stranded in the area, their group were very lucky and also 'really grateful'.

'The Civil Defence team were fantastic and very supportive, offering food and transport. We're a lucky bunch.'

Other trampers in the area Stuff spoke to were caught up in landslides, and forced onto the top bunks in their huts as water poured in beneath them.

Lu said she and her group were currently resting up. They hope to continue their journey along the Kepler Track later in the week, but those plans were also weather-dependant.