Cyclone Gabrielle: Tararua state of emergency declared

Mayor Tracey Collis has declared a state of emergency for the Tararua District as per advice given by Civil Defence staff to assist in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The declaration was signed at 8.49am today under Section 68 of the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 owing to coastal risk and severe flooding throughout the district.

The state of emergency will be in force for 24 hours but will be reviewed as required.

Residents in areas that are flooding are being instructed to move to higher ground and the council says it is in communication with affected communities. The council and Civil Defence are continuing to monitor the situation.

A national state of emergency has been declared as residents and emergency services scramble to understand the scale of the destruction left by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Residents of multiple Napier suburbs have been told to “evacuate immediately” and go to their nearest hill as flooding in Hawke’s Bay continues to worsen.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the cyclone had caused “extensive damage across the country”.

Near Hastings, workers were seen standing on the roofs of buildings submerged in floodwaters.

At 9.20am Hawke’s Bay Today photographer Warren Buckland said Napier was cut off.

“All bridges are gone or severely compromised.”

More than 40 households in Eskdale in Hawke’s Bay are trapped because of Cyclone Gabrielle, Fire and Emergency NZ told 1News.

Flooding at Lys Rd, Weber. Photo / Nicola Smyth