Wairoa from above as experts assessed the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle on 18 February. Photo: RNZ/ Kate Green
East Coast residents are frustrated with the pace of decision making following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Councils are tasked with assessing properties in the aftermath of the cyclone and sending their data to the government.
But it is a bigger job for some than others – not all of them have finished it – and lives are on hold while communities await decisions.
Minister for Cyclone Recovery Grant Robertson said the new Cyclone Taskforce was set the task of working with insurance companies and local councils in March, to build a picture of high-risk areas.
On Monday he announced three categories for damaged properties, but as yet, people have not been told which one their homes will fall into.
In Wairoa, one of Hawke’s Bay’s worst-hit places, homes were inundated with floodwaters and silt.
Mayor Craig Little said property owners were desperate to get rid of it and properly dry them out.
“Those homes are pretty well documented, whether they’re white, yellow or red [stickered], or what degree of yellow they are. There’s no hold up, as far as I’m concerned.”
They should not be held back waiting for other councils, he said.
“If the rest of Hawke’s Bay’s lagging behind… don’t hold Wairoa up for that, because we just want to get into recovery and get these people back into their homes.”
Wairoa on 21 February following Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Louise Parsons from Whirinaki in Hawke’s Bay said her community felt powerless and in limbo.
“They’ve lost all control, and they’re not getting any answers as to when they’re going to get some decisions made,” Parsons said.
Many homes were ready to rebuild and ready to go, but they were having to wait, she said.
“There is no timeline for anybody.”
Robertson said at the time of announcing the three categories the “government’s intention is to complete assessments for low risk properties in category one quickly so people in those homes can settle with their insurance companies and get on with their recovery”.
However, the government wants all information on the table before categorising.
Parsons said people with homes in category one should be able to get on with things.
“Then the builders can start and it’s not going to be a big bottleneck when the other categories open up.”
She said living in limbo was having a massive impact on people’s mental health, and bills still needed to be paid.
“You’ve got families that have been affected by the trauma of the actual event… but then the trauma of having to clean out their houses, and then the trauma of loss of income, loss of business.”
While communities were left waiting, insurance money in the form of accommodation payments was running out, and families just wanted to move on with their lives, she said.
Gisborne District Council was in the second stage of submitting data.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz said despite sending off initial data some time ago, the government came back with more requests.
She hoped the team would be ready to send that off by the end of the week, but she was expecting some more back and forth, even requests for more data, before decisions were made.
Hastings District Council said it too had provided all of the requested information to government.
The categories
- Low Risk – Repair to previous state is all that is required to manage future severe weather event risk. This means that once any flood protection near the property is repaired, the home can be rebuilt at the same site
- Managed Risk – Community or property-level interventions will manage future severe weather event risk. This could include the raising of nearby stop banks, improving drainage or raising the property. Category two is split into three sub-categories: 2C) Community level interventions are effective in managing future severe weather event risk; 2P) Property level interventions are needed to manage future severe weather event risk, including in tandem with community level interventions; 2A) Potential to fall within 2C/2P but significant further assessment required
- High Risk – Areas in the high risk category are not safe to live in because of the unacceptable risk of future flooding and loss of life. Homes in these areas should not be rebuilt on their current sites.
SOURCE RNZ
