Source: Auckland Council
Auckland Emergency Management has acknowledged the stress for the community caused by the approach of Cyclone Gabrielle and thanked everyone for their preparation efforts and care for each other.
“We know these are anxious times. We’re right here with you,” said Deputy Controller Rachel Kelleher.
“In events of this scale, we can only get through them by working alongside each other. I urge you, as always, to check on those around you who may benefit from your support, and offer a helping hand where you can.”
Auckland Emergency Management will issue an Emergency Mobile Alert today to cellphones in the region to help raise awareness of the weather warnings.
“The issuing of this EMA should speak to the seriousness with which we want people to take the incoming weather,” Kelleher said.
“We are looking down the barrel of a severe and potentially devastating weather event and you must take official advice seriously. Your safety is and always should be paramount.”
The Auckland Emergency Management team alongside partner agencies have been working to ensure that all necessary services are best placed to respond to the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Twenty four Civil Defence Centres and Shelter sites have been set up in all Local Board areas across Tamaki Makaurau, and will open their doors from this evening.
A Civil Defence Centre offers a safe place to eat, sleep and access essential support services. Shelters provide a hot drink and immediate refuge from the storm, but are not intended for extended stays. Locations are listed at www.aem.org.nz.
If mass evacuation is required, further large-scale sites will be stood up quickly and we will continue to assess the need for these sites.
So far, Auckland Emergency Management has provided 370 households with emergency accommodation and others are still coming through the doors at our centres. We’re working with both MSD and MBIE to make sure these families have access to support services and further temporary accommodation, if they need it.
Kelleher encouraged people to ensure they had sufficient supplies to last three days, but to only buy what they need.
“Please be assured supermarkets supplies are well-stocked and will remain open. The only thing that will change that is if individual supermarkets are affected by the storm. If you live in an area prone to being isolated or cut-off, make sure you’ve got what you need to shelter in place for a few days. That includes food and water.
To conclude, Kelleher thanked all those leading in their communities to support readiness effort, and all those across the partner agencies are working hard to ensure people are kept as safe as possible.
Key information for media
Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle
- The Metservice have issued a Red heavy rain and strong wind warnings for Auckland and Aotea Great Barrier Island. Significant heavy rain and potentially damaging winds are forecast from Sunday night, with the most severe weather impacts expected on Monday and Tuesday.
- Heavy rain is expected on Monday and into Tuesday, with rainfall of 35-40mm/hr possible on Monday afternoon. This rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.
- Severe gales, with gusts reaching to 130 km/h from Monday are expected to produce widespread damage, especially to trees and powerlines and could lift roofs. Transport and power networks are likely to be significantly impacted, with road closures and power outages. Conditions will be hazardous for motorists and there is a danger to life from flying debris and falling trees or branches.
- Possible storm surge of 0.5m along eastern coastlines tomorrow afternoon and evening, this along with very low pressure and strong onshore winds means there is now a high risk of coastal inundation on the Monday evening high tide.
What you can do now
- We’re asking everyone to make sure you prepare your homes and property as best you can and have a plan in case you need to evacuate.
- Stay off the roads. Don’t drive or ride through floodwater – it’s hard to judge the depth or see hidden objects and you risk being swept away or your vehicle stalling.
- If your property flooded recently, consider staying with friends or family tonight, or make a plan to evacuate if you see floodwaters rising.
- Make sure you have everything you need to evacuate – clothing, medication, documents and ID, important items for the children or babies
- For those sheltering at home should make sure they have alternative power supplies; lamps, torches and batteries; a radio; a camp stove or BBQ. Remember to keep your phones charged and use a car charger (and radio) if you need to.
- Make sure you have supplies of prescription medication to get you through next week, contact your GP if you’re concerned about health issues, and if you rely on electricity for medical devices, stay in touch with your health provider and your electricity provider and arrange a back-up power supply or contingency plan.
- Once the storm begins, please help us get to the people who need us most. This means only calling 111 if life is at risk, this includes if you or others are trapped, if there is a fire or landslide, and if you need to evacuate and you can’t get out safely by yourself.
Red and yellow placarded buildings
- Council’s building assessment team has issued 286 red placards, 1,689 yellow placards and a further 2,600-plus buildings have white placards.
- If your house has a red “entry prohibited” placard, you must stay away. Further instability is highly possible as a result of the expected weather event.
- If your house has a yellow “restricted access” placard, follow the restrictions given on the placard and seriously consider avoiding any entry for the duration of the event at least. There is the potential for new landslides to occur and for existing landslides to reactivate.
- If your house is next to a property that have a placard, if you see any signs of instability, or if you’re concerned about the stability of the land around your house, we recommend you are extra cautious during this event. Consider finding alternative accommodation during heavy rain.
- Landslides often show warning signs before they occur. Common signs include new cracking or movement of the ground, new cracks appearing inside the house, unusual sounds such as trees cracking, pavements sinking, or new debris on or around your house.
- If you are concerned about landslides, consider finding alternative accommodation during heavy rain.
Kerbside collection
- Some programmes of work, such as the removal of flood-affected property from kerbsides have been halted, and will resume once the impacts of Gabrielle are better known.
- The Council’s usual kerbside waste collection has been cancelled for Monday and Tuesday, and people are asked to keep their rubbish on their properties until collection resumes.
Cyclone Gabrielle Shelters and Civil Defence Centres
Auckland Emergency Management has set up twenty four civil defence centres and shelters for people needing refuge from Cyclone Gabrielle.
- Shelters: provide a place to be safe while the worst of the weather passes. Blankets and hot drinks will be available but shelters aren’t equipped for extended stays.
- Civil Defence Centres (CDCs): are equipped to provide you with a safe place to eat, sleep and access essential support services.
The addresses of the centres have been published on www.aem.org.nz.
Auckland Transport
- Auckland Transport is urging people to avoid all non-urgent travel today through until Tuesday.
- If you must travel – please check the AT website (www.at.govt.nz) for the latest updates and a list of areas to avoid should flooding occur. You should plan your full return journey.
- Due to severe wind gusts, reduced speed limits are in place on the Harbour Bridge, and there is a possibility the Bridge may close.
Schools and employment
- Local schools will make their own decisions about whether to stay open tomorrow, so people are urged to follow their usual channels for communication, including with kura and early childhood providers. Our advice is that you should plan for things to change if they need to.
- Similarly, please contact your employers to see what their plans are for working through Cyclone Gabrielle, such as working from home where it’s possible to do so.
