spinofflive
A team erect a stoplog early this morning to provide addtional protection as the Ohinemuri River rises in Hauraki (Image: Waikato District Council)
A team erect a stoplog early this morning to provide addtional protection as the Ohinemuri River rises in Hauraki (Image: Waikato District Council)

The BulletinFebruary 14, 2023

Ten states of emergency declared as Cyclone Gabrielle carries on

A team erect a stoplog early this morning to provide addtional protection as the Ohinemuri River rises in Hauraki (Image: Waikato District Council)
A team erect a stoplog early this morning to provide addtional protection as the Ohinemuri River rises in Hauraki (Image: Waikato District Council)

A firefighter is missing after a rescue operation in Muriwai and the declaration of a national state of emergency still remains possible, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.

 

Latest update after frightening night

First off, I hope Bulletin readers in the areas impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle are safe. We’ve got an update on what’s happened overnight this morning on The Spinoff and I’ll detail what MetService say we can expect today below. It’s been a hellish and frightening night for many. The news is fairly overwhelming so I also want to look at what’s happening in the areas impacted through the lens of the efforts being made by so many acting in service and in one instance, what may tragically be sacrifice.

Firefighter unaccounted for, rescue operation suspended

In Auckland last night evacuations were ordered for two roads at Muriwai after two houses collapsed, one with residents inside. A rescue operation has been underway to reach those affected and the Herald is reporting that a firefighter involved is still unaccounted for, while one is critically injured in hospital. In a statement from Fire and Emergency this morning, the search for the firefighter was suspended in the early hours of the morning due to the instability of the land. Elsewhere, according to a witness, local farmers pitched in with diggers to rescue “half a dozen families” from their homes in Ramarama.

“It’s been amazing here at the marae”

Top Energy advised that there were nearly 10,000 people in Northland without power at 11pm last night. “Never before have we dealt with such a fluid and dynamic range of outages on our network in such a short period of time,” the company wrote on Facebook. Meanwhile marae have opened their doors in the region taking those with nowhere else to go. “It’s been amazing here at the marae. People have been so welcoming. As soon as I walked in, they put a towel around me, fed me and made me feel at home,” said Gemma Orr. In the Hauraki District, teams erected a stoplog in the early hours of this morning to provide additional protection as the Ohinemuri River rises in Hauraki. The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence team, where a state of emergency was declared last night, continued to update into the early hours of the morning, issuing an apology for the emergency alert “in case it woke people up” and a reassuring handover post, complete with team photo, to reassure people updates would still be provided.

Need for national state of emergency to be reviewed at 8am

The impact of the cyclone is now being felt further down the North Island with power outages reported in New Plymouth and a state of emergency (SoE) declared in Napier City and Hastings District. That makes ten SoEs across the North Island. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) national operations manager Roger Ball said the next review on whether or not to declare a national state of emergency would be at 8am. Ball told the AM show that it is a “tool we are keeping in our toolbox and we have been keeping it under constant review.” Stuff’s Glenn McConnell outlines what happens if one is declared. These are the latest warnings from MetService. People are being urged to stay at home. MetService meteorologist John Law said while rain was likely to ease on Tuesday the strong winds would stick around.

Cyclone Gabrielle’s position at 7.20am Monday, 13 February (via earth.nullschool.net)
Cyclone Gabrielle’s position at 7.20am Monday, 13 February (via earth.nullschool.net)

The BulletinFebruary 13, 2023

Cyclone Gabrielle: Aucklanders urged to stay home

Cyclone Gabrielle’s position at 7.20am Monday, 13 February (via earth.nullschool.net)
Cyclone Gabrielle’s position at 7.20am Monday, 13 February (via earth.nullschool.net)

Heavy rain and wind warnings blanket entire North Island. They also extend to the top of the South Island as Cyclone Gabrielle bears down on the country. Aucklanders are being urged to stay home and at least 25,000 households are without power, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.

 

What had been experienced so far as no more than an “entrée”

The entire North Island, top of the South Island and parts of the West Coast are now under heavy rain and/or wind warnings or watches. MetService upgraded 24 warnings and watches at 5am this morning that extend from Cape Reinga down to Marlborough, Nelson, Buller and the West Coast north of Fox Glacier. It’s really important to keep in mind that while parts of the upper North Island have been feeling the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle for a day or so, the worst is yet to come. MetService’s Georgina Griffith described what had been experienced so far as no more than an “entrée”. “Don’t be fooled if you’re not affected till Tuesday,” she said.

Sleepless night in Northland and Coromandel

In Northland, at least 8,000 households are without power. Repairs to the network are being hampered by unsafe conditions and residents are being told to expect to be without power for days. All schools in Northland had been closed following the declaration of a state of emergency. RNZ’s Morning Report reported this morning that parts of Northland have had 200mm of rain in the past 24 hours causing surface flooding. High tide is just before 1pm in Whangarei and Civil Defence is warning that it could bring more flooding.  Thames Coromandel Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said the region received a battering overnight but has so far pulled through. Nearly 4000 residents have experienced power outages. Towler said the area can expect another 400mm of rain today.

Aucklanders urged to stay home

Aucklanders are being urged to stay home today and tomorrow. New Zealand Principal’s Federation president Leanne Otene told the AM Show that the majority of schools in Auckland had closed.  After a decision to close the Auckland Harbour bridge yesterday, the bridge is now open with speed restrictions and lane closures. Auckland Transport says it is likely to open and close throughout the day “depending on the unpredictable approach of Cyclone Gabrielle”. Buses are still operating but expect disruption. KiwiRail made the proactive decision to close its network across the top half of the North Island, including Auckland commuter lines, until at least 3pm today. At 7pm last night, vector advised around 15,000 households were without power in Auckland.

Is our emergency management system fit for purpose?

While the current focus is on the next few days, Newsroom’s Sam Sachdeva has turned his eye to the questions that will be asked in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle and the flooding in Auckland just over two weeks ago. Sachdeva says “politicians and officials alike must have some serious conversations about whether our emergency management system is fit for purpose.” A review after the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 highlighted the “dysfunctionally divided” nature of local structures, as well as a fragmentation of decision-making between regional authorities, government departments and the national crisis management centre. Some people were asking why a state of emergency hadn’t been declared earlier in Northland yesterday. At one point yesterday afternoon, with a list of evacuation centres published for Auckland and Coromandel, Northland Civil Defence were advising people they couldn’t tell them were evacuation centres would be, while the Whangarei District Council had published names of marae people could go to, and where a likely evacuation centre would be.