Cyclone Gabrielle Northland Updates

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Cyclone Gabrielle NORTHLAND Update – Wednesday 15 Feb

Civil Defence Northland Cyclone Gabrielle updates

7:30 AM Tue 14 Feb – The red alerts for heavy rain and strong winds are still active and are expected to continue into the day. The wind conditions appear to be more concerning at the moment, with gusts reported to be over 130 km/h at Cape Reinga. The heavy rain warning for Northland north of Kaitaia has been lifted, but heavy showers may persist in the western part of the region, and the warning may be extended. The most up-to-date information on these warnings can be found at https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home#upper-north. Travel conditions will likely be challenging and subject to sudden changes, as more trees may fall overnight as responders work to clear previously fallen ones. To stay safe, it is recommended to stay home if possible, and if travel is necessary, exercise extreme caution.

7:30 PM Mon 13 Feb – As the night continues, Northland remains impacted by the severe weather brought on by Cyclone Gabrielle. The region is facing heavy rainfall and strong winds, creating more problems for residents.

The rain has spread across the entire region of Northland this afternoon and continues to affect western areas as the system moves south. Due to high water levels, residents of Dargaville have been advised to consider evacuation. To prevent water from entering businesses, Victoria Street in the Dargaville central business district will be closed.

State Highway 1 has been closed in several places, with reports of new slips appearing in addition to fallen trees and surface flooding. Both Northpower and Top Energy NZ faced challenges as they reduced outages during the day only to see them increase again with new faults. The brief lull in the rain allowed river levels to temporarily decrease.

According to the latest forecast from MetService New Zealand, South of Kaikohe is expected to receive 100 to 160mm of additional rainfall, with lower amounts elsewhere. Peak intensities of 10 to 15mm/h are expected, reaching 20 to 30mm/h in the south this evening. Another period of heavy rain is expected in the west, with 50 to 80mm (or possibly 80 to 120mm in localized areas) expected to accumulate in a 12-hour period from midnight tonight to midday tomorrow. The severe southeast gales changed direction to the southwest this afternoon, with gusts reaching 130-140 km/h at times, especially this evening and tomorrow morning.

We hope everyone can get a peaceful night’s rest despite the harsh conditions and urge them to stay safe. Emergency services, council personnel, defense force, and roading agencies will continue to monitor the situation and respond as needed throughout the night.

5:25 AM Mon 13 Feb – The latest update on Cyclone Gabrielle from Civil Defence Northland as of 5:25 AM on Monday, February 13th, is as follows: The storm has brought heavy rain and strong winds to the region, with gusts of up to 140 km/h reported so far. The rain has mostly fallen on the east coast and has caused flooding in coastal areas, along with reports of boats being grounded. Rivers are currently holding up despite the rainfall but are expected to experience even higher tides as the day progresses. The Northland Regional Council Hydrology team reports that the highest rainfall totals were recorded near Whangarei.

Due to the dangerous conditions, Northland’s Transport Agency has closed SH1 between Brynderwyn and Waipu and further road closures are expected. Around 17,000 Northland customers are currently without power. It is advised that residents continue to stay indoors and support each other during this challenging time. For information, assistance, or to report urgent cyclone-related issues, residents can contact the relevant district by the numbers provided. In case of life or safety being at risk, call 111 immediately.

10:15 PM Sun 12 Feb – Cyclone Gabrielle Update – 10:15 PM on Sunday, February 12 As of tonight, many Northlanders are experiencing power outages due to strong winds of over 100 km/h causing trees and branches to fall onto power lines. Northpower initially had more than 13,000 households without power, but was able to restore power to 5,000 by the end of the day, leaving about 8,000 connections still without power in the Northpower area (Whangarei and Kaipara Districts). Both Northpower and Top Energy NZ in the Far North are advising their customers that power outages are expected to persist overnight.

The latest MetService New Zealand track map for Cyclone Gabrielle was released just before 8 PM and the Red warnings for severe gales and heavy rain remain in effect. According to the latest update from MetService at 9:14 PM tonight, Northland south of Kaeo can expect an additional 150-250 mm of rain through midnight tomorrow (Monday), bringing the total amount of rainfall to 250-350 mm in this area. Other parts of the region can expect an additional 80-150 mm of rain. MetService also mentions that a further period of heavy rain is possible in western Northland on Tuesday morning.

Waka Kotahi has closed SH1 between Brynderwyn and Waipu due to large slips, with detours in place for light vehicles via Kaiwaka and Mangawhai and heavy vehicles via SH12/SH14 (via Dargaville). Further road closures are likely in the morning due to slips, tree debris, and surface flooding, so caution on the roads is highly advised, especially during the hours of darkness and early in the morning.

Coastal inundation due to large waves and storm surges is also expected.

4:30 PM Sund 12 Feb – A state of emergency has been declared in Northland on Sunday, February 12th at 4:30 PM as a precautionary measure in response to Cyclone Gabrielle. The emergency declaration was requested by the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group Controller, Graeme MacDonald, and approved by CDEM Group chair Kelly Stratford. An Emergency Mobile Alert has been sent out to all capable phones in Northland to inform residents of the declaration.

Declaring a state of emergency is a rare step in Northland, with only six emergency declarations in the past 50 years. The most recent declaration was just two weeks ago, covering the entire region. This declaration allows the Civil Defence Controller and their delegate to access emergency powers outlined in the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Act 2002, including evacuation, property requisition, and road closures.

MetService Updates for Northland

Auckland Emergency Management Cyclone Gabrielle Updates

Auckland Emergency Shelters – Civil Defence, AEM, Vector and Counties Energy, Auckland Transport latest updates

Civil Defence has set up shelters and support Centres for those in need of refuge from Cyclone Gabrielle.