How will we live as storms get worse? One region's story
Rural communities in South Wairarapa, New Zealand, are grappling with the devastating effects of increasingly frequent and severe storms, which are exposing vulnerabilities in ageing infrastructure and river management. A local farmer lost 160 pregnant ewes in a recent flood, highlighting the personal and economic toll on residents.
Why it matters
This article underscores the urgent need for adaptation strategies and funding solutions as climate change intensifies extreme weather events, posing significant economic and social challenges to rural areas globally.
Destructive storms are exposing the vulnerability of rural communities, as ageing infrastructure and outdated river management are struggling to cope. In South Wairarapa, back-to-back floods have prompted difficult questions. As extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe, how can these communities adapt - and who will pay? Mary Argue and Baz Macdonald report.
Hands sinking into wet wool, James Bruce grabs another floating, lifeless ewe and turns towards the fence.
Wading through almost chest-deep water, he drags the drowned animal to the edge of the paddock where it joins the others.
Over and over again, the Martinborough farmer performs the grim task, until all 160 pregnant ewes are found.
The river just came up so fast, Bruce says.
"We.... got caught out a little bit. We got down here to shift stuff and it was too late.
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