Mark Mitchell: Emergency Response Minister on the storm battering the East Coast

Officials say Wairoa has had the worst of the storm battering the East Coast.

States of emergency have been declared in the Wairoa District and Heretaunga Ward, with torrential rain closing roads and caused hundreds of evacuations overnight.

Heavy rain warnings have lifted for Tairawhiti, but continue until 11pm in Hawke's Bay.

Wairoa is cut off by slips - and the Emergency Response Minister Mark Mitchell will be flying in by helicopter.

He's unlocked $100,000 each for the mayoral funds for Hastings, Wairoa and Tairawhiti.

Mitchell says people in Wairoa have had to leave flooded homes.

"I know that the memorial hall is filled with people, the number I was given was about 100 people. Houses have been evacuated - it's the swell that's made the big difference."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm going to get you across the latest on the

(00:01):
situation and tired Afiti in Hawks Bay. Now there have
been one hundred and fifteen evacuations, Rivers have been surging,
roads have been closed all around waid Or. The government
is contributing three hundred thousand dollars to the mayor relief
funds and wide or hastings and also tired Arfiti Emergency Response.
Minister Mark Mitchell is with us now. How much I
understand you're on your way to waydo are you?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yeah? Yes, I've been in the Hawks Bay for the
day and now I'm peered out to get on NH
ninety one of the Air Force Cuny coppers to fly
up to Waira is wider.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
As far as you understand the worst.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Hit area, it looks like a yes. On the briefings
that I've had, they've been hit very hard by this,
without a doubt. But I won't know all the facts
until I get on the ground.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Is it hard to get comms with them?

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Is it? I've got coms. I've been speaking with Prage
little amit throughout the day, but it has been evolving.
When we're talking. First thing in the early hours of
this morning, he didn't think that it was been really
being too bad, but then obviously daylight hours and as
things sort of start to unfold, I think you realize
that this town's been hit very hard.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, how hard has it been hit? Like? How many
evacuations are in that town?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Well, I know that the Memorial Hall is filled with people.
I think the number that I was given was about
one hundred people. So you know, houses have been evacuated.
It's the swell that's made the big difference as they've
been hit very hard. At the same in the Hawk's
Bay with with this, with these heavy seas and these
six meter swells.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Do we okay? So okay? So that's that's the situation.
That's that is in wide or world. What do we
know about what's going on around it? Everywhere else it's
been hit.

Speaker 2 (01:43):
So just has been hit as well, particularly Tikaraka. They've
had flooding there and they've had to evacuate residents from
t k I'm heading up to I'll spend tonight with
with Amira and I'll be heading up to Gisbon either
very late tonight or this thing in the morning to
meet with Miya Raheit Stots and her team as well.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Are we through the worst of it or is there
more bad weather coming?

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Well that the states of the local states, EVINCI is
still in place, and there's another high tide to night
at nine o'clock. But I'd just like to say that
the mayors have been outstanding. There are several defense teams,
our first responders, our police offs. They responded quickly, they
stood up very quickly, and because they've done that, they've
really protected their communities very well. They'll be very provoctive

(02:31):
and so the very strong position to be able to
deal with this.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
The high tide at nine, Are you expecting that to
do more damage?

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Hopefully not, because you know the waters have been receding,
But it's just that there's another high tide and the
swell is starting to recede as well. So it's just
a matter of being cautious and ensure that you know
that everyone's been proven about what they're doing and when
when it's the right time. Sort of dropped that local
set of Mitch.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Thank you very much, best of luck, and I hope
that I hope it's not as bad as we're thinking
it is. Ms Mark, which all the emergency response minister
is about to jump on a chop it and head
over to Why It or for.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
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