Cyclone Gabrielle: Low-risk properties identified and ‘red-zone’ residents contacted this week

Hawke’s Bay residents stuck with silt-inundated ruins that used to be homes only have a few days more left to wait before they get an indication if they can rebuild, nearly four months on from Cyclone Gabrielle.

The initial assessments on which Cyclone Gabrielle-affected properties will be deemed low risk in Hawke’s Bay will be completed this week on May 31, according to an earlier statement from Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson.

A joint statement from a spokeswoman on behalf of all local councils, including Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council, Hastings District Council, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and Wairoa District Council, said they hope to make direct contact with impacted property owners from Thursday, June 1.

The statement said the severe weather risk assessment process, done in collaboration with the Government’s Cyclone Recovery Taskforce, has involved looking at data from a range of sources, including the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, the Ministry for the Environment, and claims data from insurance companies.

Silt and debris in Esk Valley after Cyclone Gabrielle. Initial risk assessments for future severe weather will be complete by May 31, while community consultation commences in mid-June. Photo / Warren Buckland

“Once completed, local councils will be able to communicate directly with impacted property owners to let them know the outcome of this risk assessment process and what that means for recovery for the area their property is in,” the statement said.

“For those with properties located in Category 2 or 3 areas, these initial assessments will only be the start of the decision-making process, with an engagement process with impacted communities expected to commence by mid-June.”

As of early May, 1119 buildings were yellow-stickered and 107 were red-stickered across Hawke’s Bay after the cyclone, the bulk of which were in Hastings district.

The three categories under which the future of flood and landslide-affected properties will be assessed are:

A Low Risk category where repair to the previous state is all that is required to manage future severe weather event risk.

It means that once any flood protection near the property is repaired, the home can be rebuilt at the same site.

Next is the Managed Risk category where community or property-level interventions will manage future severe weather event risk.

This could include the raising of nearby stop banks, improving drainage or raising the property. Within this category are three sub-categories outlined in the table above.

Last is the High Risk category, areas that are not safe to live in because of the unacceptable risk of future flooding and loss of life.

Homes in these areas should not be rebuilt on their current sites.