Hauraki’s Mayor Toby Adams has declared a declaration of emergency in the district this afternoon.
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.
“We have an unfolding situation with our close neighbours, the 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,” Mayor Adams said.
“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.”
Mayor Adams said the situation was “weather dependent” and would depend to some degree on the how much of the predicted rainfall the district gets.
“The district is already saturated and the rainfall being predicted will likely isolate our communities and cut off access to the Coromandel through Waihi,” he said. “Please avoid all travel, stay safe and have an evacuation plan ready.”
