Over two weeks on from devastating flooding that tore through the town, the local state of emergency has today been lifted in Westport.
By Katie Stevenson
But as authorities move into a recovery phase there are still many issues to solve, with a major one being housing.
Blue Kerr is living in a house bus in his driveway.
“Thought it would be comfortable but two weeks in there already is enough,” he said.
He’s unsure when he’ll be able to move back into his home.
It’s been yellow stickered which means it’s not able to be lived in and he can only access some basic amenities.
It’s a similar story for Trish Smith and her family. She’s currently staying in a campervan on her property.
“We'll move back in over there pretty soon once we've got the initial stuff done and then build around us.”
A lot of affected people have been relying on emergency accommodation and friends and family for places to stay.
But extra help is starting to arrive. The temporary cabins will be placed on people's properties so they can live close by while they await repairs.
The district council says it’s still looking to create a temporary village for those with longer-term accommodations needs.
Bob Dixon, the region's flood recovery manager, says discussions about where it’ll be built are ongoing.
“It isn't going to happen overnight; it's not going to be a sprint - it's going to take some months to be able to get this in place, but we're very conscious of meeting people's needs,” Dixon said.
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