Weather

Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz has lifted the state of emergency across Tairāwhiti.

A state of emergency has been declared in Tairāwhiti by Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz.

The government is providing a further $25m in grants to help more businesses in cyclone-affected regions with the clean-up and to get them back up and running. 

Waikato businesses are now able to access the $1.42m cyclone and flood recovery support funding administered by Thames Coromandel District Council and allocated by the government.

“In the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions, thousands of people are still unable to return to their homes due to flood damage.”

Applications for up to $40,000 in grants are now open for Hawke’s Bay businesses the have suffered from cyclone Gabrielle.

The government has ended the states of national emergency declared on 14 February over the Northland, Auckland, and Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group areas and the Tararua District, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty confirmed.

Visitors are asked to check with their accommodation providers to confirm operating conditions.

The government has extended its state of national emergency across six regions until 7 March in response to the prolonged impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has launched an international fundraising appeal and a special Lotto draw to support the recovery efforts across the North Island impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.

The grants can help businesses impacted due to barriers to customer access, supply chain issues, or the inability to operate as usual due to damage.

Travellers between Auckland and Northland are advised to check the status of roads before heading out as key highways remain closed.

MetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for the soaked Hawke’s Bay as a new weather system moves over the country.

Westpac is increasing its support to $4m for businesses and communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and the flooding events.

The government has assembled a cabinet committee and regional ministerial leads in order to coordinate the government response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Some tourism businesses are re-opening, while others remain closed during the clean-up.

The Department of Conservation has closed Te Papanui Conservation Park near Dunedin due to the fire risk in the area, with further warnings in place for Otago, parts of Southland, and Canterbury.

People are being warned to stay off the beaches in Gisborne and up the coast as piles of wood and large logs reach up to two metres high in some places.

The government has extended the state of national emergency for a further seven days to support the response to the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Tourism has largely ground to a halt across large parts of the region but things are improving day by day, says one operator.

Significant cancellations have been taken leaving some operators struggling through the summer.

Hawke’s Bay Airport is urging all incoming travellers to arrange local ground travel before they fly while phone, power and internet outages continue to affect the region.

A plan to guide the hard hit destination back to business is already in progress.

Back to Work Grants will this week be available to Auckland businesses impacted by flooding during the region’s anniversary weekend.

It is only the third time in NZ history that a National State of Emergency has been declared.

Cyclone Gabrielle causes major travel disruption but flights are expected to resume this morning.

Westpac has extended relief options for customers affected by damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Full flights are causing wait times of up to 20 days for rebookings, but the airline says it is working to speed up the process.

The Department of Conservation has closed all of its facilities across the northern and eastern North Island as Cyclone Gabrielle passes through the country.

Northland has entered a state of emergency as part of its regional response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The state of emergency has been lifted for Northland several days earlier than expected.

Although some tourism businesses up north have managed to carry on despite the difficult conditions.

Auckland Airport is preparing for more heavy rain this evening with sucker trucks, pumps and more than 600 sandbags positioned around its terminals.

More heavy rain is expected across Northland, Auckland north of Orewa, and the Coromandel over the next two days.

A raft of events have been cancelled in the wake of Friday’s flooding and the ongoing poor weather in Auckland and across the North Island.

Aucklanders should continue to take extra care when they are out and about, Auckland Transport is advising.

A wet start to 2023 followed by the impacts of Cyclone Hale has hurt holiday hotspots like Northland, Hawke’s Bay and Coromandel, but government support for affected operators is not in the pipeline.

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency says it has been able to reopen most Southland and Otago highways after clearing snow.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has visited Marlborough to see first-hand the damage to the region caused by storms and flooding in mid-August.

Marlborough District Council will offer subsidised water taxi services to visitors, workers and residents around the Marlborough Sounds who were affected by weather damage that caused road washouts and slips last week.

It may take several days to return to normal schedules, says the airline.

Christchurch International Airport will install three solar-powered wind meters at Tarras this week.

The government is providing $175,000 to help clean up Tairāwhiti Gisborne, following floods and severe storm damage over the last five days.

Evacuations are underway in parts of Gisborne as river levels in the region continue to rise.

New Zealand has experienced its warmest winter on record, exceeding the previous record set just last year.

Scenic Hotel Group managing director Brendan Taylor said the situation was “seriously disappointing and comes on top of an already challenging year.”

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said the avalanche risk was assessed as high.

The first convoys, including visitor buses into Milford Sound Piopiotahi since the torrential rain of just over a fortnight ago, have gone smoothly.

Former Tropical Cyclone UESI could create another significant weather event in the lower South Island, says the Otago Regional Council.

The Southland Mayoral Relief Fund is available to help Southlanders and businesses affected by the February 3 floods.