Six Students And Teacher die in New Zealand Flood

[Ded 30]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKSP1442820080416

I guess this is one of those things I think would probably recieve more attention, had it happened in the USA or Britain, so I thought I'd share the story here.

Its so sad to think that seven lives have been lost in one tragic accident - sadder more that all the students were aged 16 - which is so young. It also brings to light whether Kids should be doing these sort of activities (i personally think they should) - and how we make decisions on where and when these kids should be doing them.

Still, its particularly sad, So if you have something to say - here's the place to say it.

[Sam 163]

Its a tragic loss of life. It was given quite a bit of coverage on the news here tonight.

I don't think kids should be stopped from doing these things though, especially not at 16 which is almost an adult, unless they don't want to do them. But all possible measures need to be looked at and taken to make them as safe as possible.

[Meg 368]

I agree, sam.  I'm not sure what all was involved in this "outdoor leadership program" but we have programs like that here and I imagine they are similar.

Why did the river rise so high, so fast?   That's the strange part.    I can think of several reasons why a river would do that.   Rapid snowmelt, which seems unlikely this time of year down there.   Releasing water from a dam, which someone would have known about and hopefully warned people on the river.  Prolonged bad weather, which someone would have know about.  If a dam had broken, I imagine they would have included that in the article.

It's a very sad loss of life but we don't know enough to know if it could have been prevented.  Judging from the equipment they were wearing, they were trying to take safety precautions but it's not clear why the precautions didn't work because it's not clear why the flood happened.  I'd like to see any follow-up articles.

 

 

[Ded 30]

Well, Severe thunderstorms were forecast. As far as I'm aware, the people at the Center recieved a weather report, that contained an error that left out the thunderstorm warnings. Thats at least what one New Zealand news website is reporting (http://nz.news.yahoo.com/080416/2/4xej.html).

If so, this makes the accident that much more tragic.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Very Tragic.

Hopefully they dont remove things like this from availability for the kids.

especialy since this seems to be a very random situation with the river.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: Ded

Well, Severe thunderstorms were forecast. As far as I'm aware, the people at the Center recieved a weather report, that contained an error that left out the thunderstorm warnings. Thats at least what one New Zealand news website is reporting (http://nz.news.yahoo.com/080416/2/4xej.html).

If so, this makes the accident that much more tragic.quote>

That could explain it.   I would like to think that the people running the program would know better than to take kids on a river during a thunderstorm.  but if the weather report was wrong . . .

What a waste.

 

[Palpatine001 57]

Weather report was not wrong at all...

I've been watching the case from the instant the news wires began covering it and while I express my thoughts are with the families and friends in my opinion charges of manslaughter and neglegence should be laid at the company.

Ok thunderstorms were omitted from the Tuesday update at 0615, but a critical update with thunderstorms was released 15 minutes later from the metservice.

However charges can be supported as on Monday night at 1800 the metservice had released a blanket weather warning stating that from 1800 Monday til 0600 Wednesday from Northland to the Central North Island (where the disaster happened) heavy rain with bursts of over 40mm an hour, storms likely...

Now come on, that alone is enough not to send people done a drought striken river that will flood in a heavy pour... and god sake if it dumped 150mm of rain in Auckland and was heading south and can be seen on damned Radar (www.tvnz.co.nz and go to the weather links) that should of reinforced the fact not to send people down!!!

So again my thoughts with friends and family of the lost ones, but will the Centre concerned stop blaming everyone else and acknowledged you FOULED up hugely...

[LarksTonguesInAspic 28]

I saw the story and wondered if any of our Kiwi ST friends were touched by this. My condolences to the families.

I'm sure blame will be placed and recriminations will fly, lawsuits to follow. But it shows that any of us can go at any time, with or without warning. Be prepared.

[hamsterTK 93]

NZ has some crazy natural features and this sounds like a really freak accident.

According to the article it says they were wearing wetsuits and lifejackets as they climed through the gorge, that must've been some insane flood. Especially because it said the survivors were physcially injured.

It also brings to light whether Kids should be doing these sort of activities (i personally think they should) - and how we make decisions on where and when these kids should be doing them.quote>

I don't follow? this was an accident?

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: hamsterTK NZ has some crazy natural features and this sounds like a really freak accident.

According to the article it says they were wearing wetsuits and lifejackets as they climed through the gorge, that must've been some insane flood. Also it said the survivors were injured.

It also brings to light whether Kids should be doing these sort of activities (i personally think they should) - and how we make decisions on where and when these kids should be doing them.quote>

I don't follow? this was an accident?quote>

 

He means they will remove this as an approved activity because it too dangerous for youngsters.

Like  playing Tag and dodge ball and swings and jumping rope, and hunting tigers......

You know remove all physical activity then complain the kids are fat and just sit around playing XBOX/PS3 games.

[Hamish 1,370]

Originally posted by: hamsterTK According to the article it says they were wearing wetsuits and lifejackets as they climed through the gorge, that must've been some insane flood. Especially because it said the survivors were physcially injured.quote>

Well, listening to the radio, its sounds like there were alot of jagged rocks ect. around the area.

And in the same storm a man and his horse were struck by lightning and died.

[Palpatine001 57]

Yeah a horse got struck by lightning and the rider and horse were killed. Again the met service as issue Servere Weather Warnings in the area at the time, so why the hell they were out there I will be damned.

Guys you reading what I had posted above on the warnings at the time the flood and disaster happened.

Gorge + heavy rain and storms is going to equal massive flood in the area, NO SAFETY EQUIPMENT WILL PROTECT YOU from a river that changed from 0.5 cubic metres a second in flow to 300 cubic metres a second in one hour... Hence again Monday night the metservice issued a blanket warning for the area...

Now the funerals have been held, its time to take the company to court and make them responsibile for their actions...

[scotty222 549]

Terrible thing to happen

for those of you wondering if kids will be stopped from doing this

trips like this at my school are possibly going to be cancelled

[SimRabbit 48]

You know hundreds of kids die from starvation, wars, and AIDs every day in Africa and other poor countries. Isn't that tragic?

[krbe 193]

Not for New Zealanders, no. Which is also why this story gets little attention outside NZ. I don't think anybody withouth ties to the NZ knows about this here in Denmark.