While the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle has been dominating the headlines, there's one demographic that's been missed – the children.
Now, stories of fear, uncertainty and humour have emerged from students at a flood-hit Napier school — including a lost engagement ring and a pig found on a bed.
The students at Bledisloe School in Taradale have been left without some classrooms and buildings after it was contaminated following the floods.
The town hall has since been converted into a temporary classroom to accommodate them.
"The school's still contaminated and there's people over there who are working to try and get it all out," one student told Seven Sharp.
While the laughter in the hall was more akin to a school field trip, there was a sense of confusion as the school's students processed their emotions following the floods.
One student said they felt "emotional", while another said they were "not exactly sure" how they were feeling.
"A bit weird too because we didn't get hit so we don't know how it feels for the people who did get hit so it's sad for them," another said.
Principal Carol Bevis said some of the kids have needed extra reassurance from their teachers during this unsettling period.
"We've seen little ones who have needed to be close to their teachers, on their knees, hugging them, not going too far away."
Some of the students spoke of their fear while being forced to evacuate flood-hit properties.
"Our house got flooded and we had to get out and the dog was, like, all in water, wet. Its house was gone," he said. "I got a bed last month and now it's gone."
But he added, "My dad said everything we lost, we can get back".
One boy said he and his family had to be airlifted from the roof of their house to safety.
"We were on the roof and then the helicopter came down the roof and then the helicopter got us to a high place," he said.
"I was so scared when I got on the helicopter," another added.
While there were moments of fear, stress and uncertainty, there were also moments of humour. One student said she found a pig in her house during the floods.
"On my bed! Yeah, my bed mattress," she said.
"It didn't even die," another added.
One said his house had power thanks to his savvy dad: "Should I tell you why I had power? Because my dad actually made us power with his van."
Another told a story involving the frantic hunt for a lost engagement ring.
"When we got to safety, Nan looked at her arm and you know what she said? 'I lost my engagement ring!'" one girl said. "My dad had to go into her house and fish it out."
While the school is closed for repairs, a "conscious decision" was made for students to show up to class in their school uniforms, Bevis said.
"We wanted to create that feeling of belonging and wellbeing," she said.
"We made sure that everyone had a uniform to come back with."
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