Hundreds of Edgecumbe residents had to leave their homes owing to the flooding. Angry Edgecumbe residents stormed out of a public meeting as tempers flared over access to their homes. At a press conference this morning, Bonne said the residents' response was ``part of the grieving process''. Residents whose houses were in dry areas would be given brief access to their homes today. The Whakatane Emergency Response Team and the SPCA have been searching for animals in Edgecumbe.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 08, 2017 23:26 UTC