Rotorua floods: Recovery focus to shift

A picture of the damage and impact Sunday's storm has left on the wider district is becoming clearer, according to acting civil defence primary controller Bruce Horne.

The focus was still people's welfare, he said.

"Our welfare teams and building inspectors have been systematically working through the areas that have been affected and will be out again today.

"Welfare teams have visited all affected residents in Western Rd and the surrounding off streets," he said.

Horne said the single largest impacted area had been visited, with the focus now shifting to getting to the other small pockets of affected properties around the district, including the rural communities.

Civil Defence update Friday 4 May

Good morning Rotorua. Acting Civil Defence controller Bruce Horne, has provided an update on the status of the response to the severe weather event that hit the district on Sunday.

Posted by Rotorua Lakes Council on Thursday, 3 May 2018

"We started contacting people in rural communities on Monday and now that we have completed the initial visits in Western Rd, we are now able to put more resource into the other affected areas, while still supporting the Ngongotaha community.

"We are still developing the full picture and I want to stress the importance of people contacting council if they have been affected as that information is vital in our quest to develop a complete understanding of what has happened."

Horne said in addition to information being gleaned from reports from the public, drone footage was also being collected.

Image 1 of 61: Flooding in Rotorua. Cormac Davis, 12, . Moncur Dr. Photo/Ben Fraser

About 100 Rotorua Lakes Council staff have been called in to the Emergency Operations Centre to help respond. In addition to the council staff formally seconded, others including mayor Steve Chadwick, are conducting visits and providing support in other ways to those affected.

Key points from this morning:
-Building inspectors are back on the ground this morning completing inspections. Yesterday more than 20 inspections were completed

-Welfare teams will be around the district including central Rotorua, Rerewhakaaitu, Reporoa and Paradise Valley today

-Roading contractors are working around the district, cleaning up the roads at Ngongotaha, as well the wider area including Tarawera Rd

-A recovery office has been established at 7 Oakland Pl and will be staffed between 9am and 4pm, seven days a week until further notice

-Those who require help are encouraged to contact the Rotorua Lakes Council on (07) 348 4199 or 0800 020 001

-More information, including information from partner agencies such as insurance and rural-specific information, is available here.