Impact of Cyclone Hale

11 JANUARY 2023

The Eastland Wood Council and its members are working closely with the Gisborne District Council and Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management on the region’s response to ex-tropical Cyclone Hale.
Te Tairāwhiti remains under a local state of emergency, so industry bodies are playing a supporting role but have offered their services and equipment to help with the recovery now the main part of the weather event has passed.
Eastland Wood Council Chief Executive Philip Hope says the industry really feels for those communities who have been impacted by this severe weather event.

“Like everyone, we are gutted that our region has taken another hit from the weather.

“Since Monday our members have been working with the Council and Civil Defence to prepare for the ex-tropical cyclone and undertook precautionary measures, but we’ve again seen just how powerful mother nature is. Our thoughts are with the whanau and communities who have been impacted directly, and for the whole region as this clean-up will no doubt take some time. Our focus is on ensuring the wellbeing of the communities that we operate within and supporting the local authorities on the response and recovery,” he says.

EWC members have been out clearing public roads since the weather hit. Assessments of the impact and damage caused are underway, and more work on the ground will happen once roads are reopened and accessible.

“As an industry we play a vital role in the local economy, and we will play a key role in this recovery and clean-up. We know people are hurting, especially those whanau who have been cut off or have had to move out of home. It is important that we understand the source of the debris how it has ended up in the water ways, how this can be further reduced in the future, and this will be a focus in coming weeks and months”.

“These events are becoming more frequent and severe. So, once we are through this event, we would welcome the chance to sit down with the Council and look carefully at what we can do together to mitigate the impacts of these weather events, to protect our land, waterways and communities”.