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16. February 2023 17:21
RNZ Live
What you need to know:
  • Residents in Gisborne must stop using water immediately. The water treatment plant has failed. 
  • A national state of emergency has been declared. It is only the third in New Zealand's history.
  • Auckland, Northland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Ōpōtiki, Whakatāne, Waikato, Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki, Tararua, and Napier and Hastings had already declared local states of emergency. The government estimates 10,500 people had been displaced by Cyclone Gabrielle as of Wednesday, most in Hawke's Bay.
  • As of Friday morning, 62,000 people are without power across the North Island, with roughly half the outages in Napier.
  • Seven people have been confirmed killed in the storm, including a child and three firefighters.
  • Flooding has hit the Napier-Hastings region hard, with hundreds needing to be rescued via boats and helicopters.
  • Gisborne residents were told not to use any water on Friday afternoon after the city's water treatment system failed.
  • The National Emergency Management Agency has accepted an agency-to-agency offer from Australia for emergency response support and expertise.
  • The government has released another $1 million to the Hawke's Bay mayoral relief fund.
  • Police are sending an additional 100 staff into Tairāwhiti and Hawke's Bay areas.
  • More than 1400 people have been registered via the police 105 online reporting form as uncontactable.
  • Wairoa was cut off and has limited fuel and water supplies, but it now has a number of Starlink satellite communications units.
  • The Defence Force has deployed ships with water and other essential supplies and personnel to Gisborne and Wairoa and by Thursday 700 Defence Force staff with more on standby.
  • By Thursday Northpower had restored power to 30,000 residents in Dargaville, Northland.
  • Tens of thousands remain without power, phone and internet, mostly in Hawke's Bay.
  • Roads around the upper North Island, particularly Northland, Bay of Plenty, East Cape and Hawke's Bay, remain closed.
  • MetService says on Friday there were no weather warnings in place. For latest warnings check the MetService website.
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16. February 2023 17:01
RNZ Live
National Emergency Management Agency advice:

  • Put safety first. Don't take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water. Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. If you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
  • Do not try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater: even water just 15 centimetres deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.
  • If you have evacuated, please stay where you are until you are given the all-clear to go home.
  • If you don't need to evacuate, support those who do by staying home, staying off roads and staying safe.
  • If you are not able to contact your whānau in the heavily affected areas go to Police 105 website and complete the inquiry form or phone 105 and remember to update if you reconnect through other means.
  • Throw away food and drinking water that has come into contact with floodwater as it is often contaminated and can make you sick.
  • If you are without power eat the food from your fridge first, then your freezer. Then eat the food in the cupboard or your emergency kit.
  • People should stay up to date with the forecasts from MetService and continue to follow the advice of civil defence and emergency services.
  • A National State of Emergency is in place for an initial period of seven days and applies to regions that have declared a local State of Emergency.
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No posts for now
17. February 2023 07:57
RNZ Live
With that, we're signing off the blog for today.

You'll be able to get news via the RNZ website and on air.

We will be back with more blog updates from early tomorrow morning as the cyclone response continues.

Pō marie, and stay safe.
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17. February 2023 07:54
RNZ Live
As we head into the weekend, the prime minister says government agencies are having to carefully think about where to deploy resources over the next few days.

Chris Hipkins visited Hawke's Bay to survey the damage today, and described it as "very rough"

He says while everything is being thrown at the recovery, a good degree of prioritisation is needed.

"That doesn't mean we are not going to do things, it means we are having to carefully think about where we deploy resources and what order we deploy them in so we can get to the most urgent needs first."

He said that was essential in any emergency response.
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17. February 2023 07:45
RNZ Live
Before we go, there's a large police presence is on the ground in Napier, as officers continue to seek a person of interest.
Residents or Baker street in the suburb of Marewa and surrounding areas have been told to stay inside as the armed offenders squad is in the area.

Police are currently blocking entry to Latham street and a helicopter is in the air near the scene.
credit: RNZ / Tess Brunton
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17. February 2023 07:44
RNZ Live
Just a note we'll be wrapping this blog up for the day at 8pm unless there are any major developments.
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17. February 2023 07:37
RNZ Live
Oranga Tamariki helping 500 vulnerable kids
Social workers whose own homes and communities are storm ravaged are working in shifts to track down hundreds of vulnerable children and young people and confirm they are safe. 

There's more than 500 tamariki and rangatahi in care across Tairawhiti and Hawke's Bay, where phones and power are still down and roads out in many small communities. 

With some houses totally destroyed, new ones may have to be found outside the district.

Oranga Tamariki regional manager Julie Tangaere is co-ordinating workers across the whole area from an emergency hub in Hastings.

She told Checkpoint OT workers felt the effects personally and professionally.

"We are one part of a cog in what is a very, very busy wheel in Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti.

"Geographically it is a big area in terms of kids in care ... we are getting out there ... I have to take my hat off to social workers and people in Oranga Tamariki who are still trying to provide a service ... to get support out to those kids.

Listen to the full interview here:
Cyclone Gabrielle: Oranga Tamariki helping 500 vulnerable kids
Social workers whose own homes and communties are storm-ravaged, are working in shifts to track down hundreds of vulnerable children and young people and confirm they are safe. There's more than 500 tamariki and rangatahi in care across Tairāwhiti and Hawke's Bay where phones and power are still down and roads out in many small communities.
RNZ
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17. February 2023 07:19
RNZ Live
Army reservists head to Hawke's Bay to help
In the wake of the cyclone, people from around Aotearoa have abandoned their day jobs to head to Hawke's Bay and answer the Army's call for reservists. 

One of them is Defence Liaison Officer Captain Ross Fisher, who's been busy helping coordinate the response in the region. 

He told Checkpoint in the past 24 hours tasks involved reaching isolated people across the community and establishing contact.

The word he used for the scenes they were seeing was "devastating".

"Even the most simplest of movements is complicated. The extent of silt that is still ... submerging houses and vehicles is nothing I have ever seen before.

"It beggars understand how nature can do that."

Reservists came from day jobs like building, city councillors, factory workers, students - a "full spectrum of New Zealand society", Fisher said.
Cyclone Gabrielle: Army reservists head to Hawke's Bay to help
In the wake of the cyclone, people from around Aotearoa have abandoned their day jobs to head to Hawke's Bay and answer the Army's call for reservists. One of them is Defence Liaison Officer Captain Ross Fisher, who's been busy helping coordinate the response in the region. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6320655263112
RNZ
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17. February 2023 06:57
RNZ Live
Near-total water restrictions are back in place for Gisborne.

Tairāwhiti Civil Defence says resolving the issues at the Waipaoa Water Treatment Plant will take longer than expected.

City residents should only use water for drinking, short showers and food preparation. 

The water is safe to drink without boiling. An update will be provided tomorrow.
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17. February 2023 06:43
RNZ Live
Chris Hipkins' full media briefing from this evening can be found here:
Cyclone Gabrielle: 'It is really rough up there' - PM Chris Hipkins on the task ahead
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has provided an update on the government's response to Cyclone Gabrielle, after today visiting areas devastated by the storm. Watch a stream of his media conference here. Hipkins visited Napier, Esk Valley and other areas of Hawke's Bay today with Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty, MP for Napier Stuart Nash and MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Meka Whaitiri.
RNZ
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17. February 2023 06:42
RNZ Live
Road update:
Waka Kotahi spokesperson Mark Owen told Checkpoint it had been a "massive week" for the agency's staff.

There was now a safe route between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne on State Highway 2 for the public- although it would be closed overnight and there were other restrictions - he said.

The Gisborne-Wairoa road - as mentioned earlier - will be closed overnight but open during the day.

South out of Wairoa the road to Napier would take quite a bit of time before access was restored, he said.

State Highway 38 into Wairoa was "long and tortuous" but being verified for use, Owen said.

You can listen to the interview here:
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