Kia ora e te whānau,
Ahakoa ngā waipuke e hora nei i te motu, e hākoakoa ana te ngākau i te kite atu kua whiti mai a Tamanui te Rā ki ētahi rohe. Kia kaha tonu tātou ki te āwhina i ēra e raru ana. Mauri ora!
While we haven’t seen the back of the storm just yet, we’re glad to see more of the sun popping up across Te Ika-a-Māui.
We have continued to populate our resource page following the latest announcements and you can find all our previous media releases on our website. Below is a wrap for today (2 Feb):
What You Need to Know
• Government has allocated an additional $700,000 for flood relief.
• Further details for the Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund have been outlined.
• Inland Revenue (IRD) announced it is waiting for approval on an "Order in Council" from Cabinet which would see penalties waived for late filing of tax obligations for those affected by the floods.
• Tāmaki Makaurau is still under a state of emergency, however, the declaration is due to be reviewed tomorrow.
• The Civil Defence Centre in west Tāmaki Makaurau has moved from Saint Leonard's Road School to Bruce McLaren Community Centre at HubWest.
Assistance Available
For those in need of urgent help or emergency accommodation, please ring:
Te Tai Tokerau (0800 00 20 04), Tāmaki Makaurau (0800 22 22 00), Waikato (0800 932 4357).
Community support lines are still in place for those in Tāmaki Makaurau:
• Te Whanau o Waipareira – 800 92 49 42
• Manukau Urban Māori Authority – 0800 686 232
• Manurewa Marae – 029 200 55 40
• Papakura Marae – (09) 297 20 36
• Ruapotaka Marae – 027 290 87 71
• Huakina Trust – (09) 238 02 50
Civil Defence Centres have been set up across Tāmaki Makaurau to support those who need to evacuate and can’t stay with friends or whānau. Their locations are below, but please note the change of location out west:
North: Massey University Albany Campus - Sir Neil Waters Theatre, Gate 1/Main Entrance (off Albany Expressway), Albany.
West: Bruce McLaren Community Centre at HubWest - 29 Corban Avenue, Henderson.
South: Manu Tukutuku - 32 Riverton Drive, Randwick Park.
Information Hubs have also been set up to offer support, including accommodation if needed. Their locations are:
• Te Manawa - Westgate, 11 Kohuhu Lane
• New Lynn Community Centre - 45 Totara Avenue, New Lynn
• Fickling Convention Centre - 546 Mount Albert Road, Three Kings
• Birkenhead Leisure Centre - 46 Mahara Avenue, Birkenhead
• Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Pool and Leisure Centre - Mascot Ave, Mangere
There are several road closures and slips throughout the mid and upper Te Ika-a-Māui. Auckland Transport is continuously updating their website with all of the road closures and reopening for Tāmaki Makaurau, and residents in other rohe are being advised to check Waka Kotahi's website.
Financial Support
Applications for the Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund can be made online - click here. You can also call Auckland Council (09 301 0101) during business hours for assistance with their form. Please note:
• Only one application can be made per household or organisation.
• You must, at the time of application, be experiencing hardship as a result of the Auckland flooding and landslips.
• If you accept funding assistance from another source for the same hardship in your application, you may not be eligible for the fund unless the funding has not substantially reduced your financial loss.
For more detail on the Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund, click here.
Inland Revenue (IRD) announced it sent an "Order in Council" to Cabinet which would see penalties waived for late filing of tax obligations for those affected by the floods.
IRD acknowledged that business owners' first priority should be to care for their whānau but added that those who are ready to file their tax obligations and need assistance can call their disaster line (0800 473 566) or send them a message in myIR. Further can be found here.
Civil Defence payments are still available to those who are experiencing hardship from the severe weather and flooding. Those affected are being advised to call Work and Income (0800 400 100) to make an application - more detail here.
New Zealand’s five major banks are offering financial support to personal and business customers affected by flooding. Further details are on our resource page.
Insurance Advice
Government announced it will be working closely with the sector to fast-track claims being resolved with over 15,000 being lodged to date.
If your business has sustained physical damage and you are yet to lodge a claim, please get to this as soon as possible! Late notification may lead to your claim being declined.
Photos are required as evidence to your insurer, so take many, and, where possible, avoid disposing of damaged property until your insurer has advised you may do so.
A typical house and contents policy should include an accommodation allowance for an uninhabitable home and renters should also be covered.
If your home or business has been damaged by a landslip, EQC (Earthquake Commission) will pay for the damage to your home or surrounding land, however, those affected should still contact their insurer first.
The NZ Insurance Council has offered more extensive advice – link here.
Other Useful Sites and Resources
• Auckland Emergency Management
We will continue to update our Facebook page and story with the latest information pertaining to the weather events - kia kaha.
