Forewarned is forearmed

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Cyclone Gabrielle's most likely path over the Pacific has changed, shifting further east in an ominous development for the already storm-battered East Coast and wider Tairawhiti.

A Severe Weather Watch was issued late this morning for our region as well as for Coromandel and Hawke's Bay, warning of the possibility of 200mm-400mm or more of rain from Sunday through to Tuesday, at which time we could expect the full force of the storm and intense rainfall.

Gabrielle is packing a punch with sustained winds of around 130kmh and gusts of up to 157kmh; this latest tropical cyclone is expected to intensify before it reaches cooler waters off New Zealand, when it will transition to an ex-tropical low.

Niwa says “there is growing potential that the centre tracks a little bit further east” but “it's not etched in stone”.

MetService says the duration and amount of rain forecast is highly dependent on the track of the cyclone, and the Severe Weather Watch could be upgraded to an Orange or possibly a Red warning in the coming days.

Forewarned is forearmed and now is the time to be making sure drains and gutters are clear, and securing any loose items on your property.

If you live somewhere that is prone to flooding, have a grab bag ready. People who live in isolated areas are being advised to stock up on food and any medical supplies they might need, while anyone with high-dependency medical needs is advised to make plans to come to town or be somewhere they will have access to what they need.

Large swells are expected from midday on Sunday, and predicted to grow up to six metres — hence the urging from Tairawhiti Civil Defence this morning for campers along the East Coast to pack up and leave the coast.

As emergency services, Civil Defence and Community Links around the East Coast prepare for a potentially busy time ahead, make sure you, your friends or family members are not in harm's way unneccessarily, at the risk of putting additional pressures on them.

Hopefully the dire predictions don't come to pass, but they do give us all time to prepare. The ground is still wet all over the district and that adds to the danger; the slip damage repair job might soon be even bigger.

Residents are asked to keep an eye on the GDC website and the Facebook pages for Gisborne District Council and Tairawhiti Civil Defence for the latest information.