Cyclone Gabrielle: Preparing for the next disastrous event

and disruption to most parts of New Zealand, resulting in the closure of many of the country’s main highways and significantly impacting the local economy. In the weeks and months that followed, many businesses suffered from delays and supply chain disruptions, with the rebuilding work still underway, even now.

Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread damage

Reflecting on the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle clearly highlights the desperate need for ongoing investment in resilience and the development of infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events. Studies show us that climate change-related events are becoming more frequent, and episodes such as this cyclone, and many before that, are more common. But the cyclone’s wrath in February this year was not limited to the roading network alone; it also wreaked havoc on regional infrastructure and caused extensive damage to bridges, water treatment plants and other vital infrastructure assets throughout most parts of the mid and upper North Island.

Strong winds accompanied by heavy rain led to widespread power outages, with electrical infrastructure bearing the brunt of the storm. Fallen trees and debris damaged power lines, leaving thousands of households without electricity for extended periods. This not only disrupted daily life, but also hampered the ability to provide essential services such as clean water, sanitation, and in some cases, healthcare in affected regions. The costs of repairing and rebuilding damaged infrastructure have been marked as substantial, putting additional strain on already stretched local budgets.

Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact on housing was equally devastating. Its strong winds, combined with heavy rainfall, led to widespread flooding and landslides, resulting in significant damage to homes and buildings. Coastal areas were particularly vulnerable, as storm surges and high tides exacerbated the flooding and caused additional erosion.

BY SAM MORTON

Many residents were forced to evacuate their homes due to the rising floodwaters, while others had to deal with damaged properties, structural instability, and loss of belongings. The displacement of families and destruction of housing stock led to immediate housing crises in several regions. Emergency shelters were set up to accommodate those affected, but the long-term implications and recovery process for homeowners and renters proved to be significant challenges that required coordinated efforts from government and relief organisations.

In the aftermath of the cyclone, the Government, local authorities and emergency response teams swiftly mobilised to assess the damage and initiate recovery efforts, with priority given to reopening key transport routes, restoring power supply and providing immediate support to affected communities. Cleanup operations commenced, and infrastructure repairs were expedited to ensure a return to normality as soon as possible.

When approached for comment, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Manager Communications Anthony Frith says the organisation was restricted in what they could say, paving the way for a government review into the “Cyclone Gabrielle Response”.

Speaking to the work carried out to date, Mr Frith point to the mammoth effort and support networks that had come to the fore following the event, and the constant recovery efforts presently ongoing.

“While we aren’t currently in a position to reflect in detail on the Cyclone Gabrielle response itself, it’s important we first let the review process run its course, we would like to acknowledge the incredible mahi that went into supporting communities through this event, which is one of the most significant emergency responses Aotearoa has seen,” Mr Frith says.

“Dozens of government agencies, emergency services, NGOs, countless volunteers, community groups and iwi all stood up to deliver a helping hand when people needed it the most and continue to support communities as they move towards recovery.”

NEMA isn’t alone in being reviewed for its response to the cyclone; planning is underway for an independent operational review of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (HBCDEM) Group’s response.

At the peak of the disaster, communities, local emergency operation centres and emergency services experienced the extremes of isolation with the loss of critical roading, power and communications infrastructure. Through this isolation in the hardest days of the cyclone’s impacts, a shared regional understanding of what happened across communities is yet to emerge.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillor Hinewai Ormsby and Chair of the HBCDEM Group Joint Committee (that governs HBCDEM on behalf of the region’s five councils) says the review is important “to ensure our communities are prepared for any event in the future”.

Wairoa District Council Mayor Craig Little says the purpose of the review is to assess the performance of HBCDEM’s emergency response across the entire Hawke’s Bay region, covering the lead-up to the Cyclone and through to the demobilisation of the Group Emergency Coordination Centre, which will occur at the end of April.

“This review will look at the systems and processes, roles, and responsibilities of the HBCDEM Group members and partners. We need to ensure a common understanding across the whole region of what occurred, identify the lessons from this event and understand what is needed to improve resilience for all our Hawke’s Bay cities, towns and communities,” Mayor Little says.

The scope of the review was confirmed in April, covering cover the performance of all Regional Council-owned and operated flood protection, control and drainage schemes during Cyclone Gabrielle, addressing:

• the origin and purpose of each scheme, including intended levels of service, the severity of the Cyclone Gabrielle event relative to scheme purpose and thirdly, the scheme maintenance and operation before, during and in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone; and

• recommend improvements to scheme levels of service and maintenance or operational requirements for future events, having regard to climate change.

Specialist environmental planner and facilitator Phil Mitchell was appointed chair of the review panel, and the review is expected to take six months to complete at an approximate cost of $700,000.

The terms of reference will focus only on the Regional Council flood protection assets and associated systems, including communications. It will not focus on Civil Defence, which is the subject of a separate review underway, or on other systems that are the statutory responsibility of other entities.

The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle serves as a stark reminder of the increasing vulnerability of New Zealand to extreme weather events due to climate change and shows the country must take steps to enhance its resilience and preparedness for future storms. This includes improving infrastructure design, strengthening building codes and implementing effective early warning systems to minimise the impact of similar events.