Civil Defence

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Emergencies can happen anytime - from floods and earthquakes to fires, tsunami and pandemics. Be ready, stay informed. Know what to do. If life or property is at risk, call 111 immediately.

Weather warnings in place for our district

Update: Sunday 25 January 2026, 6.30pm.

A local State of Emergency was declared for Tairāwhiti at 5pm, Wednesday 21st January. A State of Emergency enables Civil Defence to coordinate a regional response across all emergency partners and will be in place for 7 days and reviewed as required.

All MetService weather warnings for Tairāwhiti have now been lifted, with the weather system having passed through. The Hikuwai rose rapidly reaching significant levels, however not those initially forecast. Rainfall was particularly intense on the north of the East Cape, with evacuations required and significant damage to roads and homes. The rest of the region experienced sustained heavy rainfall.

Evacuations in Onepoto and Te Araroa due to Landslide Risk

On Saturday 24 January, evacuation of properties in Onepoto and parts of Te Araroa were completed due to landslide risk from the hills above. On Sunday 25 January Te Araroa residents who were evacuated can return home after geotechnical assessments have found no signs of immediate risk to life from landslides above them.  Read more here.

Updates for Council services:

• Makorori Headland remains closed until geological assessment can be completed to assess potential land instability.
• Coastal camping areas have reopened, though some may be inaccessible due to road closures.
• Whataūpoko Reserve is now open following tree work.
• Wharekāhika playground reserve will remain closed for some time due to silt buildup. We will assess and scope its remediation once we can get contractors to site.
• Wharekāhika wharf toilet is closed until we can get contractors to site to assess it.
• Rural transfer stations are open.

Update on water infrastructure:

• Emergency wastewater valves at the Wainui Road and Oak Street pump stations were opened Thursday 22 January at 1.20am. This action was taken to prevent wastewater from overflowing back into people's homes and properties in the city, and onto roads, causing a significant health risk. The valves were closed at 1.30pm Thursday 22 January.
• The discharge was primarily driven by widespread surface flooding across town, with intense rainfall inundating the network and overwhelming the wastewater system with stormwater, and affects city rivers and Waikanae beach.
• We advise against swimming, fishing, or gathering shellfish in affected rivers and directly adjacent beaches for at least 5 days from 1.30pm Thursday 22 January, and warning signs are removed.

Update on local roads:

• Out of 34 local road closures, 17 have now reopened, with 17 still closed. As floodwaters continue to recede, we’re confident more will reopen.
• Road users should continue to take extra care. Even where roads are open, they may not be back to normal, many roads remain vulnerable following the high levels of rain.
• Drive to the conditions and watch out for slips, soft shoulders, washouts and debris on the road.
• Landslides are more likely after heavy rain, and a wind watch is also now in place for Saturday 24 January, which may cause falling trees, please stay vigilant.
• Please follow any speed restrictions, these keep road users safe and help prevent surface damage on our unsealed roads.
• Please keep checking the road information page for latest updates on road closures and heavy vehicle restrictions.

Update on State Highways:

• Please check the NZTA website for latest information.

Report issues

• If life or property is at risk - call 111 immediately.

For flooding or other urgent issues:

• customer service 24/7 ph: 0800 653 800
• online eFix form
• Antenno app
• Power outages - ph 0800 206 207

Notice changes around your home - let us know

If you live in a hilly area, keep an eye out for signs of ground movement like cracks in the ground or walls, strange creaking noises or doors that stick or retaining walls starting to lean. Call us on 0800 653 800.

Links to rainfall, rivers, roads and subscribe to text alerts

Stay up to date on weather and roads

Latest MetService weather alerts, state highway and local road conditions. For our Local Road Information

Emergency status and what the warnings mean

Stay informed and prepared. Here's what each status or warning level means:

Weather warning from MetService

Issued when MetService alerts us to severe weather. MetService defines these levels:

• 🟡 Weather Watch (Yellow) – Severe weather is possible but not yet certain. Typically issued 1 - 3 days in advance.
• 🟠 Weather Warning (Orange) – Severe weather is expected and meets MetService’s criteria - heavy rain, strong winds, or snowfall.
• 🔴 Red Warning – Extreme weather is expected to cause significant disruption or damage.

Alert or Activated

Civil Defence has been alerted to a possible situation and is monitoring and gathering information. This may be triggered by:

• MetService - event has started
• Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
• Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management
• Other systems such as telemetry, flood warnings

Declared emergency

A local state of emergency declared under section 68 or section 69 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. This applies when a situation:

• results from a natural or man-made event  (eg. earthquake, eruption, tsunami, land movement, flood, storm, tornado, epidemic, technological failure)
• may cause loss of life, injury, illness, distress or endanger public safety or property
• requires a significant and coordinated response beyond emergency services and under the Act.

State of national emergency

Declared under Section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. This applies when a situation affects the whole country or requires national-level coordination.

Be ready for any disaster

Emergencies can happen anytime - are you prepared?

You should be able to cope on your own for at least 5 days. Here's a basic guide to what you'll need:

• 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 5 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 check the Get Ready website

Listen to your radio

Tune into one of the radio stations

Our emergency channels

• Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Facebook
• Gisborne District Council Facebook
• Antenno app for alerts and notices
• Subscribe to text alerts (scroll up the page).