653 days ago

Cyclone Gabrielle: What to do if floodwaters hit your house

Brian from Mount Roskill

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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More messages from your neighbours
4 days ago

Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.

When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?

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Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
  • 82.4% Yes
    82.4% Complete
  • 14.8% No
    14.8% Complete
  • 2.8% Other - I'll share below
    2.8% Complete
1600 votes
1 day ago

Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.

John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!

As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!

John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.

Share your question below now ⬇️

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21 hours ago

Today’s Riddle – Can You Outsmart Your Neighbours?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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