102 homes now uninhabitable
• Flooded medical centre closed weeks after renovation
Napier’s state of emergency has been lifted as a new stage of recovery began yesterday. Some out-of-town response team members were being stood down and told they were able to return home, as Napier mayor Kirsten Wise announced at a media conference that the state of emergency she declared on Monday night would officially end at 6pm, last night.
With Napier back into a typically sunny Hawke’s Bay day, in contrast to the mass flooding of Monday and Tuesday, she said it was being lifted because there were no more “immediate risks”.
But the task of restoring the city and its people remained, including dealing to the needs of people from 102 homes which had been deemed uninhabitable.
Civil Defence Emergency Management Group manager Ian Macdonald said 24 were significantly damaged.
As parts of the recovery, a popup centre staffed by council, government and agencies staff opened in a Marewa Village shopping centre premises, a former pharmacy, for people to access services they may need.
On Saturday, starting at 10am, a kerbside flood-waste pick-up service will start, using council’s and fire service vehicles and volunteers co-ordinated by area Ma¯ori agency Te Taiwhenua o Te Whanganui a Orotu.
It will be based at Marewa sports ground Whitmore Park, where floodwaters almost a metre deep inundated most of the rugby fields and carpark earlier in the week, but residents were being told just to leave their flooddamaged goods “on the kerb” outside their homes by 10am.
Among those helping in the morning would be new Minister of Civil Defence Kiritapu Allan who arrived back in town yesterday, her second visit to the flood zone in what must have been one of the biggest introductions an MP has had to the role, with just seven days gone since she was sworn in.
She came prepared, familiar with the localities through having worked in Napier for two years in her “first job out of uni”, having had hands-on response experience in floods in Edgecumbe and Tolaga Bay. She was also an MP during the Whakaari White Island emergency last December, and had the right gear.
“I’ve got my gummies,” she said. Explaining the end of the state of emergency, Wise said: “All immediate risks have been assessed and we didn’t feel there was any reason to continue with the state of emergency and we’re now transitioning into the recovery phase.”
She said the week had left many feeling “unsettled”, and added: “We’re finalising the criteria and application for the mayoral relief fund. The fund is for essential items of daily life such as food and clothing not covered by insurance.
“We’ve already been approached by local organisations and individuals wanting to make contributions to the fund.”
She said 60 vehicles had turned up at refuse stations as of 10am Friday to take advantage of the free flood-related dumping offer.
When asking by media about “learnings” from the event, the mayor said the event unfolded so quick that “we couldn’t have done any better than we did. It’s now about looking at longer term infrastructure”.
She said a “conversation” would need to be had around the costs involved in longer term solutions.
Hawke’s Bay DHB medical officer of health Nick Jones said the mental wellbeing of those affected was vital.
“There are many families here in Hawke’s Bay who have lost much of their possessions and are facing really tough times,” Jones said.
“You may feel like you have no future but it’s important to just take one day at a time.”
He urged those suffering to make the most of the many resources.
● Are you or someone you know feeling anxious or just need someone to talk to? Call or text 1737 anytime, 24 hours a day.
This service is completely free. If you have urgent mental health needs you should call the emergency mental health number on 0800 112 334.