Students, teacher die in flash flood

Six teenagers and a teacher killed in a raging river in New Zealand were hit by floodwaters which raised the river level 36-fold in half an hour, sweeping some of them downstream through a rugged, boulder-strewn gorge. A group of 12 students and teachers on an outdoor leadership course were hit by floodwaters late on Tuesday just after they entered the narrow Mangetepopo Gorge, in a rugged and isolated area near the centre of New Zealand's North Island. Two bodies were carried 2.5 kilometres down the Mangetepopo, while five other bodies were found a short distance down river from where the group first got into trouble, police said yesterday.

Four students and an instructor survived the flooding, while one of them was taken to hospital with back injuries.

"This is every family and community and schools' worst nightmare," Prime Minister Helen Clark told Parliament.

"I think the thoughts of all Kiwis will be with the families and the school communities and the outdoor pursuit centre today," Ms Clark said.

The Mangetepopo is steep and narrow-sided in parts and littered with large boulders, which would have been unforgiving to anyone being swept through the water, said senior police constable Barry Shepherd.

Grant Davidson, chief executive of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre which organised the trip, said there had been no warning of the heavy rain and when the

students entered the gorge the river was at a low level.

All were wearing wetsuits, lifejackets and helmets and were led by an experienced instructor, but the river rose 36-fold within 30 minutes, Mr Davidson said.

"The amount of water that came down the canyon is particularly unusual, I've never see it rise in that short a period of time in the 24 years I've been here," he said.

Mourners gathered at the Elim Christian College in Auckland to share their grief over the loss of six of their students and a teacher.

Andy Bray, whose daughter Natasha was one of those who died, said the deaths were a tragedy not just for the school but for the whole country, the New Zealand Press Association reported.

"They were selfless, giving their lives to make a difference. They loved God and wanted to be part of making this world better," Mr Bray said.

"We are saying to God, why has this happened? Where does this fit into your plan and I do not have an answer to that."

Elim Christian College principal Murray Burton said no words could describe the school's grief.

"We don't have words, we only feel numb," Mr Burton said.