Cyclone Gabrielle: Coromandel Civil Defence focus on getting fuel to farmers and isolated communities

The Coromandel Peninsula’s Civil Defence team is today focusing on getting fuel supplies to farmers and isolated communities in northern parts of the region.

This comes after the area was effectively cut off earlier this week, with all major arterial roads closed off following damage from Cyclone Gabrielle.

Thames Coromandel District Council said today’s effort includes working with Powerco to restore electricity supply to a few of the more isolated communities.

“With many roads still closed or compromised, options such as coastal and air access to this area will be considered.”

As of this morning the council said there were six red-stickered properties and another 12 were being monitored.

A slip on Matarangi Rd on the Coromandel. Photo / TCDC

Critical infrastructure such as water and wastewater are also a priority focus today as a few plants, some of which were private schemes, were still under pressure and may need additional resourcing, the council said.

“Waka Kotahi NZTA and their contractor Higgins and our local roading contractor Ventia are doing their utmost to open as many roads as possible today, but, as we experienced last evening, SH25 opened only to have two large slips come down 30 minutes later which closed the roads again.”

Follow live updates of Cyclone Gabrielle here

Civil Defence controller Garry Towler said there is light at the end of this tunnel, but they are not there yet.

“While it is tempting to get out and about and see what has happened, the entire Coromandel is still fragile so take care and keep up to date and informed,” Towler said.

The council also asked residents not to travel unless absolutely necessary and to stay off roads so crews can clear streets with less need to pause to allow traffic to pass.

“If you’re tempted to get out on the water, please be mindful that there is a great deal of debris in the water, so be on the lookout,” the council also warned.

Rhodes Park, just south of Thames, is covered in flood water. Photo / Supplied