|
|
 |
|
Reply
| | From:  noodles_347 (Original Message) | Sent: 10/23/2008 12:11 AM |
I know it's a bit strange for me to be posting this on the boards...
But I was thinking, we're all like a big family here, and I have some sad news I wanted to get out there.
2 weeks ago, my mother was hiking and drowned trying to cross a flooded river.
Here is a news article on it:
Mountain victim a leading ecologist
By LYN HUMPHREYS - Taranaki Daily News | Wednesday, 08 October 2008
The woman who died after being washed away while tramping on Mt Taranaki was a leading ecologist and botanist as well as a mother of four.
Diane May Campbell-Hunt, of Dunedin, was hiking with her 17-year-old daughter when she was swept down the Kaupokonui Stream, which had risen to a torrent, about 12.30pm on Tuesday.
The 56-year-old, who moved from Wellington to Dunedin in 2003, was the first person to die on the mountain in more than three years.
Searchers found her body yesterday.
Mrs Campbell-Hunt's 17-year-old daughter, who was left alone in the atrocious conditions, raised the alarm on her cellphone from the Lower Lake Dive Track, telling police they had been crossing the stream in waist-deep water.
Police compared the scenario to that in the Mangatepopo River, in the Tongariro National Park, in April, when six students and a teacher from Elim Christian College died during a flash flood.
The mother and daughter yesterday were returning from a two-day tramp having stayed overnight at Lake Dive Hut on the south-west flank of the mountain.
Police concerned for the teenager's safety asked her to stay put to wait for SAR teams to get to her as her cellphone battery failed.
The first search team, sent in from Hawera, located her safe about 3.30pm and walked with her to Dawson Falls where she was met by Victim Support volunteers.
SAR police co-ordinator Sergeant Andrew Ross said the searcherswere themselves facing extreme danger from flash flooding.
"When you get a bit of rain up there the streams turn into raging torrents," Mr Ross said.
"We've got to be mindful of that.
"A couple of the streams there are notorious. At the time she was swept away the flow rate was 3.58cu m per second, the highest flow rate in the last two days. It would have been a lot different than when they went in," he said.
Heavy rain was known to build up on the mountain slopes and rush through as a wave, he said.
"In the past, people in the area have heard a rumble and got out of the way as the wave goes through," he said.
DOC staff at Dawson Falls say they had warned the pair of the threat from raging streams when there was heavy rain and had advised them of an escape route down the Auroa track from Lake Dive should the streams rise.
Joy McLean-Apps, DOC visitor centre ranger, said the mother and daughter had signed the intentions book.
They were told the streams were dangerous when there was heavy rain.
But when they left on Monday the storm had not been expected to hit until yesterday afternoon, she said.
"The hassle is that the front came in early. The information we had to give them is that it wouldn't start until 3pm (yesterday)," Ms McLean-Apps said.
When the steady rain started about 2am yesterday, DOC told police they were concerned for the pair's safety.
"It's been raining constantly since 2am. The rivers are massive. It's a huge dumping of rain," she said. |
|
 First
Previous
2-14 of 14
Next
Last
|
Reply
| |
o my gosh i'm so sorry. i feel so bad for you. i used to go hiking around there all the time... i'm so sorry for your loss. we are all here for you. i will be keeping you and your family in my prayers.
|
|
Reply
| |
| so sorry for your tragic loss. i'll keep you and your family in my prayers. |
|
Reply
| |
| oh wow, that's terrible! i'm so sorry! =[ |
|
Reply
| |
OMG! i feel so bad for you and i all i have 2 say is that we are kinda like a big family and we are here 4 you (does that sound weird?) |
|
Reply
| |
Oh my gosh, I'm really sorry for your loss =(. Your family will be in my prayers. |
|
Reply
| |
I'm so sorry! You are in my prayers. |
|
Reply
| |
| Thats terrible. I'm so sorry |
|
Reply
| |
omg. i literally gasped out loud when i read this. and teared up as i kept reading. this is so sad. i am sooo sorry. and i'll be praying for you with everyone else. |
|
Reply
| |
omg, and wow i thought my life has been crappy lately.
my deepest apologies...you and your family are all on my list of prayers. |
|
Reply
| |
im so sorry for ur loss i can't imagine wat it'd be like to watch ur mom get swept down the river and not be able to do anythingn about it. my thoughts and prayers are with you always. |
|
Reply
| |
| I am sorry!! Good thing you had a cellphone, it seems like you handled the situation extremely well |
|
Reply
| |
| Wow that's horrible!I'll also be praying for you! |
|
Reply
| |
| wow.. I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry. I'm sure it's been tough getting through this. We're praying for you and your family. |
|
|
First
Previous
2-14 of 14
Next
Last
|
|
|
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
Return to General