The morning after Cyclone Cook in Ohope. Photograph by Alan Gibson.
In regard to the editorial (Rotorua Daily Post, April 15) "Storm Better safe than sorry" never a truer word was said. Indeed Auckland and Rotorua escaped the worst. Understandable relief but then there are always the inevitable critics. Mike Hosking on Seven Sharp moaning about the inconvenience, saying this is
not good enough and those who commented this was media scaremongering and sensationalising.
Ask the residents in Tauranga, Edgecumbe and Whakatane if they feel the same. These places are our near neighbours. We were lucky. By a last minute quirk of nature, Cyclone Cook shifted slightly eastward and this one change saved us considerable grief. Next time (and there will be) we may not be so lucky.
Te Tatau o Te Arawa put out a simple video on our Facebook page urging our whanau not to panic but to be prepared. Within hours it had reached 10,300 people. Despite the fact that we dodged a bullet would we do the same again? Absolutely. No room for egos or complacency. Think whanau, think safety, be prepared was our message.
Finally our thoughts go out to our nearby neighbours. Many reportedly said they had little time to react, barely escaping with their lives. Thankfully we had time to prepare and in this respect we acknowledge the work of our Civil Defence people. We must always heed their warnings. How we as people react will be the key to our survival or not. Sensationalising or truth? We prefer the latter.
TE TARU WHITE
chairman, Te Tatau o Te Arawa
