Landslide warning as heavy rain expected across the country.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is encouraging people to get prepared as a new weather system signals significant rainfall over the next two days. The ground in many parts of Aotearoa is already saturated and with more heavy rain about to arrive there is an increased risk of flooding and landslides.
NEMA Director, John Price shares his concerns: “We are facing a severe weather situation, where orange heavy rain warnings and thunderstorm watches have been issued for large parts of the motu," he said.
“We ask that people keep up to date with MetService’s watches and warnings, and follow their local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) group on their social accounts.”
He cautions people to take care, be prepared and avoid unnecessary travel.
“Given the amount of rain that has already fallen, we want people to be aware that there is an increased possibility of landslides. If you are driving, stay on the lookout for areas of collapsed roading or slips of mud and rocks.” he warns.
Read more: NEMA Update – get ready for heavy rain
What can you do to be prepared?
- It’s important to keep an eye on the current weather warnings for your area. You can view them here.
- Where possible, keep away from coastal cliffs or banks. Small slips can quickly turn into larger landslides, so be particularly aware of any small movements, or if you notice fresh rock falls or soil on the ground.
- Homes near hills or steep slopes are most at risk – so if that’s where you live, watch out for cracks or movement that could be a warning sign, and get quickly to safety.
- Landslides can be triggered by heavy rain or earthquakes and can occur with little or no warning. Some can occur without any obvious trigger.
- Follow local emergency management advice to keep you and your whānau safe. Know where to find your local civil defence information
What to do if your home is affected.
If you notice something different about your home, for example, the doors and windows don’t close, cracks have appeared in the cladding and/or on paved surfaces, or if you observe changes to the hills immediately above or in the ground around your property (new cracks appearing, bulging ground etc.) you should self-evacuate to a safe location and let your local council know.
If you’ve been evacuated, continue to stay at your safe location until you have been given the all-clear to return home. Waiting for proper geotechnical assessments of your homes before entering is vitally important.
It is important to remember that landslides are unpredictable and can be deadly. Contact 111 if you are in immediate danger or otherwise call your local council
Seen a landslide? 'Dob it in!'
We are interested in landslides caused by the current extreme weather events. Your information helps our research into better understanding the link between rainfall, storm events and landsliding, and feeds into our landslide modelling. The data your provide will remain anonymous.
Dob in a Landslide via our app here.
Tahekeroa Road, Kaukapakapa. February 2023 Photo: Dougal Townsend
A landslide may be triggered by heavy rain or earthquakes, with homes near hills or steep slopes most at risk. If you live near a hill or steep slope, watch out for cracks or movement that could be a warning sign.
Follow Civil Defence’s advice on what warning signs to look out for so you can act quickly if you see them.
Toka Tū Ake EQC has information on how to get your home, apartment, or rental prepared for a natural disaster.
Media contact: media@gns.cri.nz or 021 574 541