Hundreds helped with welfare in June event

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

Civil Defence provided 468 households with welfare needs assessment after a State of Emergency was declared on June 22 because of heavy rain.

Five days of heavy rain from June 18 left many areas flooded, particularly in Tolaga Bay and Te Karaka.

Residents were evacuated from Te Karaka and Puha.

According to a report presented to the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group meeting, support provided to 468 households included:

• Households requiring food support, 48.

• Households requiring financial support, 21.

• Households requiring medical support, 6.

• Households requiring animal assistance, 22.

• Households requiring emergency accommodation, 104.

As a result of the rainfall amounts in the Waipaoa river catchment, the Waipaoa River reached the 7.5m level that initiated the evacuation of residents from the Te Karaka and Puha communities.

The evacuation alert was issued using the Emergency Management Alert (EMA) which is coordinated by the  Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC)

The report said several urban dwellings in the city and Makorori were severely affected due to land movement and instability which resulted in red and yellow stickers being applied.

Homeowners and occupants were supported with the physical evacuation of property and people and linked into the welfare function for support.