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February 13, 2023
Welfare center opens as cyclone sweeps far north
Gideon Porter
Posted On February 13, 2023
Download AudioFar North mayor Moko Tepania says while powerful winds caused widespread damage in the region overnight – with 17-thousand electricity customers left without power – the three main centres of Kaikohe, Kaitaia and Kerikeri appear relatively unscathed for now.
There has been little flooding despite earlier fears, but a close watch will be kept over the next 24 hours as Cyclone Gabrielle works its way south.
He says communities and first responders have prepared for the worst.
“We’ve had eleven community-led welfare centres open up across the Far North as well, so I figure a huge mihi out to all of
our local marae, and schools, and local civil defence community response groups to have acted in that space to provide a safe place for people to head to if they aren’t safe at home,” Mr Tepania says.
Top Energy is working round the clock to restore power, and will issue updates as soon as possible on its outages website – outages.topenergy.co.nz.
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