Auckland tornado: Where to get help, how to claim insurance
Kia ora neighbours,
More than 1200 properties have been affected by a tornado that ripped through Papatoetoe, in south Auckland on Saturday.
Contractor Janesh Prasad, a diesel mechanic for a forklift business who was working at the South Auckland Freight Hub in Wiri, was killed during the freak event. Donations through a Givealittle page for Prasad's family have surpassed $48,000.
Another two people were injured in the tornado, while others have had to access emergency accommodation because their homes were left uninhabitable. The Government has pledged $100,000 towards a relief fund to help those impacted, and Civil Defence payments are available for those in need.
If you have been impacted by the tornado, need to make an insurance claim, or are wondering what support is available to you, click through these links.
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Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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