Over 200 houses uninhabitable as a result of floods

Recovery Facilitator Peter Davies said today inspectors had assessed 374 homes in the Opotiki and Whakatane districts for flood and landslip damage.

Of these, 211 homes had been declared uninhabitable or unable to be reoccupied until repairs were carried out.

A spokeswoman said 201 of those were in Whakatane District, and more than half - 106 - were uninsured. None of the Whakatane houses were condemned.

Of the 10 houses unable to be occupied in Opotiki District, three had been condemned. It was not known how many were uninsured, she said.

Mr Davies said several other homes may have also sustained some flood damage. It was vital that owners of damaged houses notified the office so it could put together a full picture of the total damage that had occurred, he said.

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