Landslip devastates two families
By Serene Hatt,WNS New Zealand Correspondent
AUCKLAND - A holiday tragedy has devastated two Manawatu families. Three of their children were killed when a cliff-face suddenly gave way in the Pohangina Valley near Palmerston North on Friday. Rubble crashed into the river where the children were playing, leaving them little chance of escape. Tonnes of rock and debris mark the site of the triple tragedy. Four children were splashing happily in the Pohangina River when disaster struck. "Tragically as you can see a large section of the bank has given way causing a huge amount of debris to enter the river. And the three children have been pushed under the water and at this stage we believe just suffered huge injuries as a result of that," says senior constable Mark Glentworth of Ashhurst Police.
Pohangina local Melvyn Smith says his first reaction was to find the children. "And we located two of the children and the parents told me there was still one girl missing." Police named the children as Callum Langley, 10, his sister Keryn Langley, eight, and their friend Michael Liengme, 13. The fourth child, Liengme's brother, was treated at hospital for a minor leg injury and is now home. The family were sitting enjoying a picnic when the father noticed the rock begin to crumble. He shouted a warning but unfortunately the children could not get out of the water in time.
The scenic spot is popular with hundreds of locals flocking there in summer. Locals say there have been minor slips in the area but nothing to indicate the tragedy to come. "From time to time there's a little bit of debris lying in the river but never thought there'd be any hazard," says Smith. The Manawatu District Council says nothing could have been done to prevent the deaths. "We know that minor erosion does occur from time to time and that's what's happened in this case. But it's not the sort of thing you necessarily get warnings on," says Rod Titcombe of the council. But it's a bitter blow for a small community still reeling from the deaths of two boys on a farm bike in 2005. "It's a very tight knit community and you know they will be totally devastated by it all and you know it affects a lot of people involved," says Glentworth. The tapu lifting ceremony is planned for the site. A coroner's inquest will be held to determine the cause of the children's deaths.
Pohangina local Melvyn Smith says his first reaction was to find the children. "And we located two of the children and the parents told me there was still one girl missing." Police named the children as Callum Langley, 10, his sister Keryn Langley, eight, and their friend Michael Liengme, 13. The fourth child, Liengme's brother, was treated at hospital for a minor leg injury and is now home. The family were sitting enjoying a picnic when the father noticed the rock begin to crumble. He shouted a warning but unfortunately the children could not get out of the water in time.
The scenic spot is popular with hundreds of locals flocking there in summer. Locals say there have been minor slips in the area but nothing to indicate the tragedy to come. "From time to time there's a little bit of debris lying in the river but never thought there'd be any hazard," says Smith. The Manawatu District Council says nothing could have been done to prevent the deaths. "We know that minor erosion does occur from time to time and that's what's happened in this case. But it's not the sort of thing you necessarily get warnings on," says Rod Titcombe of the council. But it's a bitter blow for a small community still reeling from the deaths of two boys on a farm bike in 2005. "It's a very tight knit community and you know they will be totally devastated by it all and you know it affects a lot of people involved," says Glentworth. The tapu lifting ceremony is planned for the site. A coroner's inquest will be held to determine the cause of the children's deaths.
posted by wnsworld @ 7:13 PM
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