Te Rākau Whakamarumaru

Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management

Emergency management for the Tairāwhiti district

There are no current emergencies, but you should always be prepared.

A reminder to keep an watch for land movement

If you’re on a hilly section please check your land and contact us if you notice any cracks, creaking noises, doors sticking in your home or retaining walls leaning. Call us on 800 653 800.

To keep up to date with warnings

For latest updates, like and follow our Facebook page Subscribe to receive a text message for Civil Defence warnings

On this page

Recovery following Cyclone Gabrielle

Please see our Flood Recovery webpage

Subscribe to flood warnings, check river cameras, important links

Weather alerts and road info

The map displays the latest MetService alerts, local roads and Waka Kotahi NZTA state highway information. For more information, see our local road information

Civil Defence information and pages

Disasters happen any time - are you prepared?

It's important you're ready to cope on your own for up to 3 days or more. Here's a guide for what you need as a minimum:

  • An emergency plan - where to meet family and how to contact one another if separated.
  • Prepare a grab bag of essential items.
  • Enough food in your home to last 2-3 days.
  • Know where to get water, if your usual supply is not available.
  • Alternative lighting - a torch with spare batteries or a wind up one, gas lantern or light-sticks.
  • Battery operated or wind up radio and spare batteries - don't forget your car radio as a last resort.
  • First aid kit, make sure it includes any essential medications.
  • Blankets, survival blankets or warm waterproof clothing.
  • Alternative cooking methods, BBQ or gas cooker.
  • Store important family documents where you can get them easily.

For more information - Get ready

Emergency status and what they mean

No Civil Defence emergency

Always be prepared, a sudden event can occur at any time.

Weather warning

When MetService issue a new warning the status will change to 'Weather Warning' when the event actually starts the Civil Defence status will change to 'Alert or Activated' depending on the events severity.

Alert or Activated

We've been alerted to a possible situation and Civil Defence is in a monitoring and information gathering mode:

  • MetService and the event has started, or
  • Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, or
  • Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, or
  • Other warning systems such as telemetry / flood warning.

Declared emergency

A state of local emergency declared under section 68 or section 69 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. An emergency means a situation that:

  • is the result of any happening, whether natural or otherwise, including, without limitation, any explosion, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, land movement, flood, storm, tornado, cyclone, serious fire, leakage or spillage of any dangerous gas or substance, technological failure, infestation, plague, epidemic, failure of or disruption to an emergency service or a lifeline utility, or actual or imminent attack or warlike act; and
  • causes or may cause loss of life or injury or illness or distress or in any way endangers the safety of the public or property in New Zealand or any part of New Zealand; and
  • cannot be dealt with by emergency services, or otherwise requires a significant and coordinated response under the Act.

State of National Emergency

Declared under Section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.