Cyclone Gabrielle claims five lives
phone communication on Tuesday and it remained down for many people on Wednesday. This was exacerbating concerns, with many unable to contact missing loved ones.
By Wednesday afternoon, 1442 people had registered people uncontactable via an online form set up on Tuesday, police said.
‘‘There are 111 reports of people now safe,’’ police said, while some were also duplicate reports of the same person, reported unreachable by different people.
Several worried family members who spoke with Stuff have since been found, however police had ‘‘grave concerns’’ for several people they confirmed were missing from the Eastern District – Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.
At a media conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said more than 9000 people were expected to be displaced across the Hawke’s Bay region, which remained in an urgent response mode.
The Defence Force was making sure ‘‘we’re getting gear and supplies’’ to those who needed it, Hipkins said. Defence Force personnel involved in the relief effort increased from above 200 to more than 700.
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said this was a ‘‘bigger than Bola’’ event. ‘‘At the moment we know we still have people who are stranded and isolated so our focus is a welfare response,’’ Hazlehurst said. ‘‘We’ve got a long way to go.’’
She said power resumed in various parts of the district including Camberley, Frimley, Flaxmere and parts of Havelock North.
‘‘There are pockets of power that have resumed in Hastings.’’
The district had a good supply of drinking water but people were still being asked to limit water use because of stormwater and wastewater impacts. People were also being urged to remain off the roads she said, adding the region was still ‘‘hugely vulnerable’’.
Hazlehurst said the Clive bridge reopening via SH51 was ‘‘absolutely fantastic news’’ because there were many people stranded on either side.
A statement from Transpower said 40,800 Hawke’s Bay homes were without power yesterday. Of those, 31,700 were from Napier. ‘‘There continue to be logistical challenges in restoring power in the region as a result of damage to roading, significant debris and damaged communications networks,’’ Transpower said.
Wairoa remained completely isolated on Wednesday and was desperately in need of assistance after it was hit by the ‘‘most catastrophic weather event’’ in living memory, Mayor Craig Little said.
The northern Hawke’s Bay town was flooded after the Wairoa River burst its banks on Tuesday. Some power had been restored but communications were still limited.
The town had enough food, water and fuel for the next few days. However, Little said the situation was unsustainable. ‘‘Locally, people are being asked to conserve and rationalise everything.’’
‘‘At the moment we know we still have people who are stranded and isolated so our focus is a welfare response. We’ve got a long way to go. ’’
Sandra Hazlehurst
Hastings mayor