Flooding and inundation into the coastal suburb of Te Awa Estate is “escalating,” Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence said this morning, saying it was recommending all residents in the area evacuate to family or friends’ homes.
One person has died after a landslip on her property in Pūtōrino in northern Hawke’s Bay and another person’s body has been found on a storm-ravaged Napier beach as new images reveal the extent of destruction caused by Gabrielle - and the sheer heroics of rescuers.
Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence said authorities reported the Pūtōrino death after a bank collapsed on to the victim’s home early yesterday morning.
“Police visited the property following a missing person’s report and undertook rescue efforts, but were unsuccessful,” a statement said.
In an update this morning Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) Chief Executive Kerry Gregory said there had been more deaths reported.
"Overnight there have been reports of further fatalities across the country and our hearts go out to the families."
The news comes aerial photographs show towns such as Wairoa have been completely swamped by floodwaters, while Gisborne, Napier, Hastings and other settlements along the North Island east coast struggle with the loss of homes, roads, power, phones and the internet.
The ravages of Gabrielle across the North Island have been revealed - with widespread flooding, reeling communities left isolated without basic necessities, and desperate people huddling on roofs waiting to be rescued by boats and helicopters.
In Muriwai - west of Auckland - rescuers hope to resume their search today for missing volunteer firefighter Dave van Zwanenberg who was swept up in a landslide as he attended to a flooded home on Monday night. One of his colleagues was pulled from the collapsed house and is in a critical condition in hospital.
The man in hospital is Craig Stevens, Gregory said. He is in a stable but critical condition.
Gregory said the family had given permission for the name to be released.
The search is continuing this morning for the missing man.
"Our intention is to bring our firefighter home," a Fenz official said.
The tales of tragedy come as Prime Minister Chris Hipkins labelled Gabrielle the “most severe weather event this century”.
About 225,000 people have lost power, from Northland and Auckland, through to Coromandel, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. About 2500 families have been displaced from their homes, including at least 1000 Hawke’s Bay and 1000 in the Far North.
The Defence Force has released incredible images of residents being plucked from their rooftops in Esk Valley, near Napier. Homes and properties were completely swamped in the area. The Defence Force said three NH90 helicopters were used to rescue people from their homes.
Wairoa’s river burst its banks, inundating 10-15 percent of the town which is home to around half of the town’s 8000 population. With no power or phones, the only communication is via satellite phone. Wairoa council used Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites to make contact. The area faces “severe challenges”, it said.
In an email on Tuesday evening, the council says Wairoa has been “significantly impacted by river flooding as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle.”
Hundreds of people have been evacuated. “We are managing but we are geographically isolated and facing severe challenges. These include food and water supply, fuel and communications. We are working to ensure people’s safety and trying to provide the best services we can given our limitations.”
There are very limited supplies of food and water with no drinking water supply due to the flooding. An RNZAF reconnaissance flight was to be sent to the northern Hawke’s Bay town. “Wairoa, particularly, is of concern,” Emergency Response Minister Kieran McAnulty earlier said about communication with the town.
Almost a quarter of a million people were plunged into darkness yesterday and entire communities were cut off as Gabrielle wrought devastation, forcing thousands of evacuations from some of the hardest-hit regions.
Telecommunications, including phone lines and internet services, have been stretched, as police stood up a major operation to cope with reports people could not be reached in cyclone-stricken regions.
A national state of emergency was declared yesterday morning - as Hipkins called Gabrielle the most severe weather event this century, with damage unseen since Cyclone Bola in 1988.
