Closures and sandbagging as Shore braced for cyclone

Schools closed en masse, along with many businesses on the North Shore as Cyclone Gabrielle swept across the country on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Auckland was on high alert for wind and flooding damage – with concern heightened after flooding on 27 January and 1 February.

After gaps in preparedness were revealed during the previous floods, authorities appeared better set up for the cyclone’s potential impact, establishing temporary emergency shelters, including at the Takapuna War Memorial Hall.

Many residents across the Shore moved to protect their homes with sandbags. Heavy swells raised fears that a storm surge could threaten low-lying parts of the coastline.

As a precaution, three residents moved out of Haumaru Housing’s Alma Court village in Milford, which was hard hit in the previous floods.

An eerie feeling enveloped Takapuna and Milford on Monday, with few cars on the road, and many garages and front doors protected by sandbags and tarps.

By Tuesday morning, it seemed the area had dodged the worst of the cyclone’s impact, especially when compared to West Auckland. A slip on Beach Rd partially blocked northbound traffic, but nearby Milford Marina appeared unscathed. Hauraki and Takapuna suffered only intermittent power outages.

The emergency shelter at the Takapuna War Memorial Hall had no one stay overnight.