Source: Auckland Council
Auckland Emergency Management’s response to Cyclone Gabrielle continues to focus on isolated communities.
“The weather is expected to remain fairly settled over the next few days, but there is still a risk of further slips,” says Deputy Controller Rachel Kelleher.
“It is important to take this risk seriously and to be ready to leave quickly if you need to, particularly if you are in an area prone to slips.”
Access to parts of the West Coast, including Muriwai, Piha, Te Henga (Bethells Beach) and Karekare, is severely compromised.
Auckland Council building assessors and geotechnical engineers are concerned about land movement and the risk of further slips in both Muriwai and Piha. Residents of Domain Crescent in Muriwai have been evacuated and cannot return to their homes.
Residents of part of Rayner Road in Piha have been evacuated and their homes red placarded. The remaining Rayner Road homes can only be accessed on foot as Rayner Road has been closed to vehicle traffic in its entirety.
For safety reasons, Auckland Emergency Management has also temporarily closed five regional parks – Waitākere Ranges Regional Park, Muriwai Regional Park, Ātiu Creek Regional Park, Tāwharanui Regional Park, and the western side of Hunua Ranges, including Hunua Falls.
“If you are not a resident of one of these affected communities, please stay away. It’s important we allow emergency services and council officials to get on with supporting people there. Be prepared to be turned away at cordons if you aren’t a resident.
“Finally, there has been some speculation about an incident on Garden Road in Piha about an alleged dispute between council agencies. To clarify, no dispute occurred,” Rachel says.
“Our agencies are working together and, for all of us, our priority is the safety of residents.”
Auckland Emergency Management and emergency services are in touch with the isolated households on Garden Road and are working together to remove the water and reopen the road as soon as possible.
“This is a very fluid situation. If you need help, please call Auckland Emergency Management on 0800 22 22 00. If your life is in danger, call 111,” says Rachel.
Anyone with damage to their house, or who has slips close to their property, please contact RBAcomms@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Power
- Vector has advised that there are currently approximately 8000 homes without power, down from 16,000 yesterday.
- Vector is working closely with authorities to gain access to communities that remain cut off due to road slips and fallen trees and to provide estimated restoration times for those still without power.
- There is a map on the Vector website, which gives an overview of what to expect within the 12 zones of their network.
- Counties Energy is reporting 72 properties without power, 95% of outages anticipated to be restored by the end of the day.
- Please be patient with the crews who are doing everything they can to restore power to customers as quickly and safely as possible.
Water
- Residents in Wellsford, Helensville and Parakai are still encouraged to use water wisely today.
- Watercare is working to restore service to these local treatment plants, and is making progress, but the situation has not returned to normal yet.
- In Muriwai, the water treatment plant remains offline. There is a water tanker outside Sand Dunz Café providing emergency water.
Welfare
- There are 12 civil defence centres, shelters and info hubs open.
- People can charge their phones or use Wi-Fi at their local library and visit our pools or leisure centres to access a shower, as needed.
- An up-to-date list of where you can go to get help and information is on the Auckland Emergency Management website
Cleaning up after the storm
- Kerbside collections are back to the normal schedule.
- Council has also resumed its kerbside collections of flood-damaged items. People can call 0800 22 22 00 to log a request.
- If you are removing flood-damaged items from your home – please wear rubber gloves, long-sleeved top and trousers and a face mask.
- If you have sand and sandbags that have been in contact with floodwater, please be aware that the council waste management team is working on a solution to dispose of sandbags in a way that is healthy and environmentally safe.
- In the meantime, please store your sandbags on your property away from bodies of water and areas where people may come in to contact with them.
- Don’t leave bags on the kerbside. They will not be collected and could clog up drains and cause further floods.
Safety
- The weather forecast is for mainly fine weather, but please plan ahead before travelling. Think about your safety and allow extra time.
- There are currently about 50 roads across the region that remain closed. Go to the Auckland Transport website for more information.
- We urge Aucklanders to help by continuing to stay away from damaged areas. Access to these areas is compromised.
If you have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and need some help, there are support services available. Our website aem.org.nz has all the information.
