a new world supermarket surrounded by brown water
Flooding at Auckland’s Victoria Road New World (Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images)

SocietyJanuary 27, 2023

Auckland state of emergency: What you need to know

Staff writers
a new world supermarket surrounded by brown water
Flooding at Auckland’s Victoria Road New World (Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images)

A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland as severe weather causes major flooding across much of the city. 

This post was last updated at 8.48pm on Sunday, January 29 with advice for renters 

What does a state of emergency mean? 

A state of emergency is called when an event or happening occurs that may cause injury or loss of life to New Zealanders and that can’t be dealt with adequately by routine emergency services.

A state of local emergency provides access to powers that would not normally be available. In this instance, Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) is now able to make calls that override usual decision-making processes. Here is the official advice from AEM.

If your life is at risk, call 111

Emergency services are responding to hundreds of calls due to the floods. If you are in immediate danger, call 111, otherwise…

Stay home if you can

Emergency management is urging all residents to stay home if it is safe to do so. If you need to evacuate your home due to flooding and/or damage, please look to stay with family and friends in the first instance.

Evacuation centres

If you need to evacuate and have nowhere else to go, Auckland Emergency Management has opened three Civil Defence Centres to assist those that have been displaced or need assistance following today’s severe weather. The centres are open now.

  • Saint Leonards Road School, 15 St. Leonards Road, Kelston.
  • Massey University’s Albany Campus in the Sir Neil Walters Lecture Theatre (enter through Gate 1 of the Massey University East Precinct, Albany Highway SH17)
  • Manu Tukutuku, 32 Riverton Drive, Randwick Park

Do not drive through floodwaters

Pretty self-explanatory. Police urge motorists in Auckland to avoid non-essential travel, however if you cannot delay travel, please take care when travelling through water-logged roads.

Never try to walk or swim through flood water. If you are having to wade through floodwaters, keep in mind it may contain sewage so try and get clean as soon as you can, wash your hands and and wash your clothes when you can.

In case of evacuation

If you do need to evacuate, remember to take essential items, like medicines, warm clothing or baby items with you.

Don’t forget pet stuff once you’ve sorted yourself out

If you have to leave, try and take your pets with you. If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for them. Take water, food, poo bags, carry cages, leads and some plastic containers for eating and drinking out of.

Check in on your loved ones

If you are able, phone or message your loved ones to check that they are OK, especially those who live alone. If they need assistance, pass on the above information.

If you need financial assistance to meet immediate needs

People will be eligible for Civil Defence payments and can call the Ministry of Social Development on 0800 400 100 from 7am.

If you are renting

Renters United has published relevant information for those whose are renting and need to know what to do if their flat is completely uninhabitable, partially uninhabitable or damaged. More here.

Cleaning up

With the rain easing for a moment, many will be beginning the arduous task of cleaning out their flooded property. Auckland council has released advice for cleaning up after a flood.

It is important to clean and dry your house and everything in it. Floodwater may contain sewage and other hazardous materials which can contaminate your home.

  • If your gas meter has been affected by water or debris, contact your gas supplier.
  • Always work safely when cleaning up after a flood by wearing protective clothing and washing hands thoroughly after clean-up and before handling food.
  • Keep children and animals away from previously flooded areas until they have been cleaned and made safe.
  • Take photos and videos of the damage and anything that needs to be thrown away before starting the clean-up, for insurance purposes.
  • Clean up, drain, and dry inside as quickly as possible. Take out everything that is wet and that can be moved – floor coverings, furniture, bedding, clothing, etc., and put them outside to dry when the weather is fine.
  • Throw away all food and drinking water that has come in contact with floodwater, including things stored in containers.
  • Do not eat garden produce if the soil has been flooded. Clean up and remove debris and sprinkle gardens with lime (which can be purchased at garden centres).

Helpful follows

Auckland MPs and councillors are doing a good job of sharing information as it comes to hand (and without more structured channels in place for information distribution). If you’re more likely to be on social media than on this website, consider following your local representatives and the emergency services for updates, including but not limited to:

Auckland Emergency Management

Chlöe Swarbrick – Auckland Central MP

Michael Woods – Mt Roskill MP and minister of transport

Richard Hills – Councillor, North Shore

Josephine Bartley – Councillor, South Auckland

Keep going!
Gif: Tina Tiller.
Gif: Tina Tiller.

SocietyJanuary 27, 2023

How to not piss off the locals at the beach

Staff Writer
Gif: Tina Tiller.
Gif: Tina Tiller.

Want to avoid being a bad visitor at the beach this summer? Just follow these simple steps.

My partner’s whānau has had a bach in Whangaparāoa, 45 minutes north of Auckland, since the 1950s. They’ve been around long enough to become a part of the bay’s furniture. They know the neighbours next door, up and down the road, behind them and the next bay over. And now, so do I.

Our little slice of paradise gets much busier during summer as visitors descend to get their beach fix. Most visitors are courteous, respecting both the official and unofficial summer rules. But occasionally, a group of visitors come along who piss off the locals. Not only are the actions of these people rude and inconsiderate, but they can also be dangerous for both locals and other guests. 

A view of Stanmore bay in Whangaparāoa, facing north.
Part of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula. (Photo: Auckland Council)

Luckily, there are some simple ways to not piss off the locals this summer.

Take your rubbish home

Most beach bins are not well equipped to handle the influx of visitors during summer. These bins are great for collecting locals’ dog shit and miscellaneous rubbish brought in by the sea but struggle to contain summer visitors’ waste like takeaway boxes, cans and bottles. During summertime, many beach bins overflow. Locals are forced to clean up after guests, and what we miss often ends up in the sea. There is already enough trash in the ocean without beachgoers’ vape pods and pizza boxes ending up there too. 

Just as you wouldn’t (I hope) leave your rubbish in someone’s home, don’t leave it on the beach.

An ordinary New Zealand beach bin, a rather small stainless steel cylinder.
A lot of beach bins look like this, definitely not big enough for dozens or hundreds of beach goers rubbish. (Photo: Auckland Design Manual)

Don’t go through private property

This one is self-explanatory. Not only is it rude, but it’s also illegal. Your search for a shortcut to the beach shouldn’t impede on someone’s property rights. 

Don’t go faster than five knots within the 200m buoys

Many beaches have buoys 200m from the shoreline to indicate where boats, jet skis and other marine vehicles need to limit their speed to five knots, or roughly 9km per hour. This summer, we witnessed two jet skis racing to the pontoon within the 200m buoys much faster than five knots. Once they arrived at the pontoon, both jet skis did doughnuts around it. 

Call us entitled Karens or nimbys, but we reported the jet skis to the Coastguard, and in the meantime, we went over to nicely ask them to follow the rules. After our chat, while we were on the beach, they were more receptive to the rules, but they returned to their reckless behaviour once we left.

Within the 200m buoys is where most people swim – kids, the elderly and everyone in between. Pontoons in particular are used by many parents to build their kids’ water confidence. No one wants to be knocked out by a careless jet ski while enjoying the water, so the five-knot speed limit is an important safety measure. There were 91 drownings in New Zealand last year, the highest since 2011. Reckless speeds within the 200m buoys are an extra risk to swimmers that only increases the chance for another record year in 2023. 

A graphic explaining the boating rules 200m from the shoreline.
This graphic visualises what marine vehicle should do within 200m of the shoreline. (Image: Marlborough District Council)

Respect the summer dog restrictions

Plenty of beaches restrict dog access during summer because of how busy they get. For example, during summer, our four-legged best friends are only allowed on many Auckland beaches between 5pm and 10am. These rules are in place to protect both dogs and people, so respect them. 

Turn your speaker down

The beach is a place to connect with nature in all its glory, including its sounds. Not many people at the beach want the meditative sound of waves crashing drowned out by music that’s loud enough for a rave. My partner’s grandma has proclaimed, “keep the boom boxes down” at the beach.

Carpool

Most beaches have limited parking that gets filled up quickly during summer. If fewer than six of you are going to the beach, you don’t need to take more than one car. For the sake of other visitors trying to find a park and traffic flow on narrow roads, just carpool. Excessive parked cars are such a bad problem at Auckland’s Point Chevalier beach in summer that buses have been blocked from completing their route for several years. 

Smile and say hi

A big difference I notice when I’m at the beach compared to in the CBD is how much people smile and greet each other. At the beach, everyone is happy to stop and chat, but in town, a lot of people seem to be in a grumpy rush. Next time you’re at the beach, smile and say hi to the people next to you or chat with the locals. You never know, you might learn about some secret scenic spots or the best local kai. 

With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to being a good guest at the beach this summer. If there is anything you are unsure about, ask a local. They’re always happy to help others enjoy their little slice of paradise as long as the guests are willing to respect the official and unofficial summer rules. 

Society