Cyclone Gabrielle: What to do if floodwaters hit your house
The cyclone is forecast to start hitting Northland at 1am Sunday, with the full effects likely to be felt on Monday and Tuesday. There are weather warnings in place for Northland, Auckland including Great Barrier Island, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.
Experts say the cyclone is said to be one of the worst storms expected to hit this century and has now intensified into a "severe category three".
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown urged Aucklanders last week to prepare for the next big weather event, bringing torrential rain and risk of flooding.
"The direct path of Cyclone Gabrielle is uncertain at this stage, and while we are hoping for the best, we must all be prepared for the worst," Mayor Brown said.
Auckland Emergency Management's Deputy Controller Rachel Kelleher said her team is working with the Mayor's Office and Auckland council to ensure the region is prepared for what Cyclone Gabrielle could bring.
"Our key message for the community is to use the next few days to get ready for what could be another significant event," she said.
Kelleher said Auckland Emergency Management is preparing to open a number of additional Civil Defence Centres across the region for people needing to evacuate.
FENZ Auckland City District manager Vaughan Mackereth's told AM's Ryan Bridge on Friday morning that if you are in your home and see flood waters enter your property to call Civil Defence and report that your property is flooding as soon as possible.
"If your life is in danger, or there is a landslide happening on your property or above you, call 111," he said.
Mackereth also reminded people to stay off the roads, as it reduces the risk of being trapped by flooding or hit by a falling tree.
With a new cyclone on the way, emergency flooding is a serious possibility for anyone no matter the circumstances.
The best way to stay safe during flooding is to be prepared on what you should be doing if it happens in your household, how to keep safe, and where to go during the crisis.
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Here's a guide on what to do when your house begins to flood:
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Rising Floodwaters
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Put safety first, don't do anything reckless or dangerous
Act quickly, and grab important emergency items
Listen to emergency services and local Civil Defence authorities
Self-evacuate if you feel unsafe
Lift curtains, rugs and bedding off the floor
Check on neighbours if it is safe to do so
Home Evacuation
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Once people in your household have safely evacuated the premises, call for help.
Your focus during an evacuation should be on you and your loved ones rather than the damage to the house
Turn all electricity and power off
Ensure that no one is still inside when evacuating the property
If anyone is injured or needs help, call 111 to get the recovery process underway
Keep up to date with evacuation sites on Auckland Emergency Management.
What to take with you
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A bag to put items in
Phone + Phone Charger
Non Perishable food
Warm clothing
A pair of shoes
Rain Jacket
Bottle of water
Other people from your household
Any important medication
Baby/Pet food
Note: You may want to have this bag already prepared ahead of time
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Moving through Floodwaters
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Never try to walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Many flood fatalities are caused by people attempting to drive through water.
Don't drive through floodwaters
Be cautious of hidden objects if walking through floodwaters
Don't swim as there are potential health risks linked with contaminated water
If possible, stay inside until it is safe to leave
Who to contact
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111 Police, Fire and Ambulance
Phone 0800 22 22 00 for urgent flooding issues and assistance.
105 for non-emergencies
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It is important to keep up to date with the latest on Cyclone Gabrielle through MetService forecasts as parts or all of these Watches may be upgraded to Warnings, and further areas will likely be added.
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Christmas gifts stolen from parked car prompts warning over holiday break-ins
An Auckland man whose Christmas presents were stolen from his car on a quiet street is warning others not to repeat his mistake.
Police and the AA say opportunistic thieves are breaking into cars more frequently during the Christmas period.
Jeremy Rees, an RNZ staff member in Auckland, had packed his car full of gifts when he decided to visit a friend.
“Everyone had handed over presents and we had a couple of bags full of presents sitting in the back of the car,” he said.
“I decided it would be great to go around and see a friend, drop off some presents and say hello. My wife said to me, ‘Are you sure we should be taking this car?’ I said, ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine’.
“I think it was only 20 minutes outside their house, a very quiet street. It was light [outside]. We came out and my wife pointed out that someone had smashed the rear window, reached in and grabbed the presents, and headed away.
“It was a shock. It was a shock partly because of the Christmas presents and partly because my wife had been telling me, ‘Don’t do that’.”
AA Insurance head of motor claims Beau Paparoa said roadside staff were responding to smashed windows more often.
“We definitely see car break-ins starting to occur a lot more around this time of year. We’re often hearing from customers and some of our roadside teams that there’s definitely a bit more opportunistic theft happening,” he said.
“We’re putting that down to it being a busy time of year. Everyone’s out doing their Christmas shopping and there’s much more presence of gifts and valuables being visible in the car.”
He encouraged people to be careful and make sure valuables were hidden from view.
“In terms of any valuables, if you’ve done some Christmas shopping, or if generally you’ve got valuables in your car, try [to] keep them locked away or out of sight – in your boot if you can,” he said.
“Where you’re parking is possibly a good thing to think about. If you can afford to, don’t park on the street, but if you have to park on-street, make sure you park in well-lit areas.”
Police said it was not uncommon for Christmas presents to be stolen.
“The key is to remove any opportunity. This includes taking valuables or documents out of vehicles wherever possible,” a spokesperson said.
Rees said he wished he had followed that advice.
“I feel a bit stupid, to be absolutely honest. I read all of the things from police saying ‘don’t do this, don’t pack your car, don’t just leave it on the street’, and I did exactly the opposite and I paid the price.”
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Auckland Harbour Bridge summer works
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is carrying out essential maintenance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge this December and January. The southbound clip-on lanes will be closed (24/7) from 26 December to 5 January for road resurfacing. Night-time lane restrictions will be in place throughout the summer for recoating work on the bridge. Traffic will still be able to travel in both directions at all times.
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