Tongan RSE workers stranded on rooftop by flooding rescued

More than a dozen Tongan RSE workers trapped by raging floodwaters in Hastings have been rescued.

Auckland Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua said families in Tonga watched on as their relatives filmed while perched on roofs surrounded by tree tops.

He said the scenes were harrowing to watch for the families.

Lua said the Aotearoa Tonga Response Group has been activated to support Pasifika community members.

RNZ Pacific reports Hawke's Bay is one of six regions to have declared a local state of emergency. Just before 9am today the government declared a national state of emergency.

 

Some of the workers who were stuck on the rooftop. Photo: