Civil Defence info for Tai Rāwhiti and Hawke's Bay

For the next week, there will be regular civil defence announcements around 1240 for listeners in the Tai Rāwhiti and Hawke's Bay regions, many of whom still have no or poor communications. 

The full messages are below:

Tai Rāwhiti

Be safe when cleaning up – wear a mask and gloves as dry silt can contain fecal and flood contaminants. Make sure to was hands and clothing after contact with silt. Tairawhiti CDEM are working on disposal site locations, in the meantime homeowners are asked to pile silt on your property, and will advise when disposal sites are available.

• Water just for cleaning flood damage items - Free untreated water for cleaning can be collected, take your own containers to Wash’n Go at 156 Carnavon Street from 8am-4pm.
• Thank you but we cannot take any more donations of food or clothing. We appreciate any financial donation to the Disaster Relief Trust will help our community the most. People wanting to donate or needing funding support find information on our website on our website https://www.gdc.govt.nz/services/civil-defence/flood-recovery/tairawhiti-mayoral-relief-fundwww.gdc.govt.nz
• Roads - Please drive to the conditions as there is silt and debris in some parts
  • SH2 Gisborne to Opotiki open 7am – 7pm to all traffic.
  •             SH2 Gisborne to Wairoa open.
  •             SH2 Napier to Wairoa remains closed. It will be some time before Gisborne people will be able to easily drive to Napier.
  •             SH35 Tolaga Bay to Te Puia Springs closed with a bridge out. An alternative is being worked on but will take time.
  •             Local roads – rural network has many closures and caution is required. There is a bypass in place for Tiniroto Road, time controlled. Crews are working to repair bridges in Wharekopae today.

• Volunteers are being coordinated by the Gisborne Volunteer Centre.  If you wish to volunteer, please register at treble Court between the hours of 10am – 2pm each day. They will direct you to where you are most suited and needed.
• We are still in a water crisis and ask our community to REDUCE USE as much as possible. Only use water for drinking, short showers/hygiene, food preparation and washing necessary clothing.
• The majority of schools went back today as the region tries to transition back to a sense of normality. See TCDEM Facebook page for a list or contact your school.
• Anxiety is very common during an emergency event such as a flooding and evacuations. This is a normal response to a very stressful situation. Talking to people and helping others can be both therapeutic and useful.

If you need further support for yourself or for others call your general practice, after-hours GP practice or Healthline on 0800 611 116, free-call or text 1737 to talk to a trained counsellor, in an emergency, call 111

And in Hawke's Bay

• MEDICAL CLINICS
  Medical clinics will be flying into rural communities starting TODAY.
  This will include staff from Red Cross and Salvation Army, as well as iwi liaisons and medical staff.
  • These clinics will offer the following services:
    • Mental health
    • Prescriptions
    • Emergency care
    • Medical needs assessments
  • The communities receiving a medical clinic TODAY are:
    • Te Pōhue – at the fire station, 9am – 12pm
    • Tutira – at Tutira school, 9am – 12pm
    • Puketitiri – at the Puketitiri Golf Course, 1pm – 4pm
    • Patoka – at Patoka School, 1pm – 4pm
• MENTAL HEALTH
  This is an incredibly difficult time, it’s the largest disaster to impact the Hawkes Bay since the 1931 earthquake, It’s ok to not be ok.
  • Going through a natural disaster can take a significant toll on your wellbeing, and everyone will respond differently. You might notice your feelings changing day to day, or even hour to hour. Once the adrenaline starts wearing off, you could be experiencing a range of physical reactions, too – feeling shaky, queasy, having no appetite, or struggling to concentrate. This is all completely normal and understandable.
    (This messaging is from ‘All right’)
  • Whatever you’re going through, rest assured you’re not alone. If you’re struggling to cope, free call or text 1737, or text Youthline on 234. Let’s take it day by day, step by step, Aotearoa.
• STOCK LOSSES
  • Huge numbers of stock animals have been lost. If you are already on a farm and wish to bury your own livestock as per normal conditions:
    • Consider proximity to waterways – should be >50 m from a waterway.
    • Consider usual pest/ vermin control.
  • If not on farm, or there are too many on the property for the landowner to deal with, please phone us on 06 835 9200 or 0800 108 838. Hawke's Bay Regional Council will coordinate collection and appropriate disposal.
  • We also acknowledge this is devastating for many farmers. If you need someone to talk to free call or text 1737 any time, 24 hours a day. You can also call Lifeline on 0800 543354 or text HELP to 4357.
• WATER
  • If you are on bore water, you should boil drinking water to ensure it is safe to drink.
• SUPPLIES
  • Civil Defence have established a Regional Distribution Hub with our partners at iwi, NZ Defence Force, and other organisations. This is where we coordinate the movement of supplies to isolated communities.
  • This includes water, food, fuel, generators, Starlinks, and medicine.
• POWER
  • Unison have identified key sites for repair to specific rural communities first and foremost and are deploying crews to these sites where access permits. Unison will be throwing all their resources at this mammoth repair as well as using all the options available to restore power as quickly as possible, such as connecting generators at their rural substations that they are unable to supply due to significant network damage.