In a tragic incident during the New Zealand floods, a man lost his life after falling into a manhole and drowning while livestreaming on Facebook.
Daniel Mark Miller, a 34-year-old father of two, was recording himself walking through a submerged street in Wairau Valley, Auckland, in January.
The region was being ravaged by heavy storms and an extraordinary amount of rainfall, resulting in widespread destruction and the loss of four lives.
Daniel's father, Steve, was watching his son's livestream when the video abruptly ended, leading him to believe that his son had accidentally dropped his phone into the water.
However, he later discovered that the 34-year-old had actually fallen into a manhole after its cover came off during the storm, ultimately leading to his tragic drowning.
Daniel had been bravely trying to assist the neighborhood during the flood.
"He was always the kind of person who wanted to lend a helping hand," Steve told the New Zealand Herald.
Throughout the entire night, Steve anxiously tried to reach his son and even contacted Daniel's flatmates when he couldn't establish contact.
The following morning, the police arrived at Steve's house to deliver the heartbreaking news that Daniel's body had been recovered from a culvert on Target Road in Wairau Valley.
"I couldn't believe it because, in the livestream, you could see people just a few meters away from him," Steve expressed his disbelief.
"The livestream was on his Facebook page, but I deleted it. I watched it too many times, and it kept replaying in my mind for days."
Steve has since visited the manhole where his son tragically lost his life, and there is now a memorial with flowers and a cross to remember Daniel.
Daniel's friend, Tony Hudson, shared that he had noticed several detached manhole covers during the flooding.
He called on local authorities to implement additional safety measures for manholes to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.
"We need to raise awareness, such as using signs, especially in flood-prone areas. The manhole covers should not be able to detach and float away like that," emphasized Hudson.
Andrew Chin, the Executive Director of Auckland Council's Watercare, acknowledged that manholes are used for accessing stormwater channels but explained that severe storms and backlog of water can cause some manhole covers to come off.
However, in flood-prone areas, some manhole covers are equipped with hinges or safety nets to enhance safety and prevent accidents.
"We are also working on improving the stormwater system's capacity in certain locations to minimize the risk to the community," Chin stated during an interview with 1News.
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