Hauraki District Council Joins Thames Coromandel in State of Emergency Declaration
Written by John Grant on February 13, 2023
Hauraki District Council Mayor Toby Adams has signed a declaration of emergency, at 3:39pm this afternoon, Monday 13 February 2023.
A state of emergency can be declared when there is an event that might cause loss of life or property, which cannot be dealt with by emergency services in the normal fashion.
Mayor Adams told CFM “We have an unfolding situation with our close neighbours, Thames-Coromandel District being devastatingly affected by ex Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle, our connecting roads being prepared to close, and evacuations likely in some places, we will need the additional resources that we can access under a Declaration of a State of Emergency.”
“The main areas of concern are our coastal and low lying areas. By declaring a state of emergency early we are empowering our emergency support services and our staff to be able to manage any situation that develops in a way that keeps people safe and protects property and out of harm’s way”
The situation is “weather dependent and will depend to some degree on the how much of the predicted rainfall we actually get,” Mayor Toby says.
“The District is already saturated and the rainfall being predicted will likely isolate our communities and cut off access to the Coromandel through Waihi.”
Mayor Adams has asked for everyone to avoid all travel, stay safe and have an evacuation plan ready.
