Cyclone Gabrielle - updates

Published on 10 March 2023

As of 12pm, Friday 10 March

All roads are now open with four roads open with restricted access. This will be the last update for Cyclone Gabrielle.

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Duncan Road	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Doels Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip
Waikare Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip
Waimatenui Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip

As of 12pm, Thursday 9 March

Our contractors have now fully reopened all roads in the Far North, with only four roads with restricted access.

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Duncan Road	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Doels Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip
Waikare Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip
Waimatenui Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip

As of 12pm, Wednesday 8 March

Road closure and restricted access information remains the same as Tuesday 7 March. We will update this page when the situation changes.

As of 12pm, Tuesday 7 March

Our contractors have now fully reopened all but four roads in the Far North following Cyclone Gabrielle – down from 10 roads with restricted access yesterday. Only one road, Rusk Road in Hukerenui, remains closed. This is due a tree across powerlines and will be cleared when the power company makes it safe. 

Road closures include: 

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Rusk Road, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree

 

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Duncan Road	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Doels Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip
Waikare Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip
Waimatenui Road	Road passable - caution required	Dropout - underslip

As of 12pm, Monday 6 March

Road closures include: 

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Rusk Rd, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree

 

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One lane only	Fallen tree
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Tokawhero Road	One lane only	Landslide
Waikare Road, Waikare	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road passable - caution required	Landslide - overslip

 

As of 12pm, Friday 3 March

Road closure and restricted access information remains the same as Wednesday 1 March. We will update this page when the situation changes.

As of 12pm, Thursday 2 March

Please refer below (Wednesday 1 March) for information on roads that remain closed or have restricted access.

As of 12pm, Wednesday 1 March

Road closures include:   

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Rusk Rd, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree
Tokawhero Rd, Awarua	Closed	Trees/Underslip/Overslip

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One lane only	Fallen tree
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Waikare Road, Waikare	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road passable - caution required	Landslide - overslip

As of 12pm, Tuesday 28 February

Road closures include:   

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Rusk Rd, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree
Tokawhero Rd, Awarua	Closed	Trees/Underslip/Overslip

 

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road Status	Road Damage
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One Lane Only	Dropout - Underslip
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One Lane Only	Fallen Tree
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Piaka Road, Tōwai	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Tapuhi Road, Hukerenui	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road, Ōkaihau	Road Passable - Caution Required	General Detritus
Waikare Road, Waikare	One Lane Only	Slips
Waimā SH12 footpath	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road Passable - Caution Required	Landslide - Overslip

As of 12pm, Monday 27 February

Road closures include:   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Tokawhero Road, Awarua	Closed	Landslide
Rusk Road, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One lane only	Fallen tree
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Martin Road, Kāeo	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Waiare Road, Ōkaihau	Road passable - caution required	General detritus
Waikare Road, Waikare	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road passable - caution required	Landslide - overslip

As of 12pm, Friday 24 February

Please refer below (Thursday 23 February) for information on roads that remain closed or have restricted access.

As of 12pm, Thursday 23 February

Road closures include:   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Tokawhero Road, Awarua	Closed	Landslide
Rusk Road, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road Damage	Road Status
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One Lane Only	Dropout - Underslip
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One Lane Only	Fallen Tree
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Martin Road, Kāeo	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Piaka Road, Tōwai	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Tapuhi Road, Hukerenui	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road, Ōkaihau	Road Passable - Caution Required	General Detritus
Waikare Road, Waikare	One Lane Only	Dropout - Underslip
Waimā SH12 footpath	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road Passable - Caution Required	Landslide - Overslip

As of 12.30pm, Wednesday 22 February

The roading update remains the same as yesterday (Tuesday 21 February).

Remaining road closures include:   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Tokawhero Road, Awarua	Closed	Landslide
Rusk Road, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One lane only	Fallen tree
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Martin Road, Kāeo	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Waiare Road, Ōkaihau	Road passable - caution required	General detritus
Waikare Road, Waikare	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road passable - caution required	Landslide - overslip

As of 12pm, Tuesday 21 February

• As of 7.30am Top Energy NZ has reported 330 homes without power.
• A Mayoral relief fund for those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle has been established.

• No further food packs will be distributed as we are now in the recovery phase and roads, shops, and other services are open.

Remaining road closures include:   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Tokawhero Road, Awarua	Closed	Landslide
Rusk Road, Hukerenui	Closed	Fallen Tree

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Curtis Road, Rāwene	One lane only	Fallen tree
Duncan Road, Kāingaroa	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Marlow Road, Maromākū	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Martin Road, Kāeo	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Puketotara Road, Waipapa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Tirohanga Road, Kawakawa	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Waiare Road, Ōkaihau	Road passable - caution required	General detritus
Waikare Road, Waikare	One lane only	Dropout - underslip
Waoku Road, Kaikohe	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
Wharekawa Road, Ōue	Road passable - caution required	Landslide - overslip

As of 12pm, Monday 20 February

• The number of reported road closures across the District has continued to drop, as good progress is being made with tree clearance and slip removals. There are now two road closures.
• If you and your family have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, you may be able to get a Civil Defence payment. Check out the Work and Income website or call 0800 400 100 for more information.

• Top Energy is doing amazing work and have restored power to around 16,000 customers. There are 503 customers without power. Many of these are in our more remote areas like the West Coast.

Remaining road closures include:   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Tokawhero Road	Closed	Landslide
Rusk Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Curtis Road	One Lane Only	Fallen Tree
Duncan Road	One Lane Only	Dropout - Underslip
Haumanga Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Kohukohu Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Kowhitikaru Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Marlow Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Martins Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Old bay Road	One Lane Only	Fallen Tree
Piaka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Puketotara Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Purerua Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Runaruna Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Landslide - Overslip
Russell Whakapara Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	General Detritus
Tapuhi Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Te Karuwha Parade	Road Passable - Caution Required	General Detritus
Tirohanga Road	One Lane Only	Fallen Tree
Upokarau Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	One Lane Only	Drop Out
Waoku Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wekaweka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
West Coast Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Whangape Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wharekawa Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Landslide - Overslip

As of 9.30am, Monday 20 February

• Focus has shifted to welfare needs and community outreach particularly in isolated areas still affected by power and communication outages.
• Top Energy is doing amazing work and have restored power to around 16,000 customers. There are 503 customers without power. Many of these are in our more remote areas like the West Coast.
• Hokianga i-SITE is now open.
• The total number of district roads closed in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle is dropping however travellers are urged to drive with caution.

• If you and your family have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, you may be able to get a Civil Defence payment. Check out the Work and Income website or call 0800 400 100 for more information.

As of 12pm, Sunday 19 February

Our next roading update will be after 12pm on Monday 20 February.

Remaining road closures include:    

Road	Road Damage	Road Status
Mill Road	Flooding	Closed
Rusk Rd	Fallen Tree	Closed
Tokawhero Rd	Trees/slips	Closed

Other roads with restricted access include:

Road	Road Damage	Road Status
Duncan road	One lane only	Under slip
Haumanga road	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree hung up over road
Kohukohu road	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree hung up over road
Kowhitikaru	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree hung up over road
Runaruna	Road passable - caution required	Over slip
Runaruna	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree
West coast road	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree hung up over road
Whangape road	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree hung up over road
Whangape road	Road passable - caution required	Fallen tree hung up over road
Browns road	Road passable - caution required	Fallen trees
Curtis rd	One lane only	Fallen tree
Marlow rd	Road passable - caution required	Tree fallen
Martins rd	Road passable - caution required	Tree fallen
Mill road	Road closed	Flooding
Old bay rd	One lane only	Tree fallen
Piaka rd	Road passable - caution required	Tree fallen
Puketotara rd	Road passable - caution required	Tree fallen

As of 4.30pm, Friday 17 February

• Focus is shifting to welfare needs and community outreach particularly in isolated areas still affected by power and communication outages.
• The state highway network has been significantly impacted, Brynderwyns and Mangamuka remain closed. State Highways 12, 14 and 15 have reopened, but caution is advised, and the network remains fragile. Dome Valley has reopened to all traffic both ways.
• Foodstuffs and Countdown have both confirmed that they have no distribution issues in Northland. All food deliveries are coming into Northland.
• If you and your family have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, you may be able to get a Civil Defence payment. Check out the Work and Income website or call 0800 400 100 for more information.
• Community-led welfare centres are open, sheltering displaced whānau. If you need support, please call us on 0800 920 029.

As of 12.30pm, Friday 17 February

• Hokianga i-SITE remains closed as they have no power.
• The total number of district roads closed in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle is dropping however travellers are urged to drive with caution.

• If you and your family have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, you may be able to get a Civil Defence payment. Check out the Work and Income website or call 0800 400 100 for more information.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Browns Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Curtis Road	Road open - one lane closed	Fallen tree
Dancan Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Haumanga Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree hung up over road
Kohukohu Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree hung up over road
Kowhitikaru Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree hung up over road
Lovatt Road	Closed	Fallen tree
Mangatoetoe Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree
Marlow Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Matawaia-Maromaku Road	Closed	Flooding
Mill Road	Closed	Fallen tree
Old Bay Road	Road open - one lane closed	Fallen tree
Opahi Station Road	Closed	Flooding
Piaka Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Puketotara Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Purerua Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Rata Tipene Road	Closed	Fallen tree
Runaruna Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree
Rusk Road	Closed	Fallen tree
Russell Whakapara Road	Road open - drive with caution	Debris
Tapuhi Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Tawata Road	Closed	Fallen tree
Te Karuwha Parade	Road open - drive with caution	Debris
Tirohanga Road	Road open - one lane closed	Fallen tree
Tokawhero Road	Closed	Overslip
Upokarau Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Waiare Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Waikare Road	Drop out - drive with caution	Drop out
Waoku Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
Wekaweka Road	Road open - drive with caution	Fallen tree
West Coast Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree hung up over road
Whangape Road	Open with caution	Fallen tree hung up over road
Wharekawa Road	Road open - drive with caution	Overslip

As of 8.30am, Friday 17 February

• Spark have been working hard to restore connectivity in the north. They are down to 20 affected sites across Northland.
• Vodafone had an additional 46 cell towers down due to power outages and are working to get these back up and running as soon as possible.
• Top Energy have reported there is still 2,750 homes and businesses without power, with two thirds of these outages in the Hokianga. Crews from Christchurch arrived his morning to support restoration efforts, transported north by the New Zealand Defence Force.
• There are nine community-led welfare centres open, sheltering displaced whānau. If you need support, please call us on 0800 920 029.
• If you and your family have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, you may be able to get a Civil Defence payment. Check out the Work and Income website or call 0800 400 100 for more information.
• Hokianga i-SITE remains closed as they have no power.
• The total number of district roads closed in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle has fallen to eight. Most closures are due to fallen trees.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Lovatt Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Mill Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Opahi Station	Closed	Flooding
Rata Tipene Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Rusk Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tawata Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tokawhero Road	Closed	Tree fallen

As of 4.30pm, Thursday 16 February

This is our final update for the day.

• The total number of district roads closed in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle has fallen to nine. Most closures are due to fallen trees.
• State Highways 12, 14 and 15 have reopened, but travellers are urged to drive with caution. The good news is that food and fuel deliveries have resumed throughout Northland.
• Across the region, 82 cell towers remain offline this evening and this is affecting communications. That total is down from 214 yesterday. 

 

Road	Road status	Road damage
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Lovatt Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Masons Road	Closed	Flooding
Mill Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Opahi Station	Closed	Flooding
Rata Tipene Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Rusk Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tawata Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tokawhero Road	Closed	Tree fallen

As of 12pm, Thursday 16 February

• The sun is shining, and we are now focused on clean up and recovery.
• Road access into the Far North is now open and key routes within our district are also clear.
• Food and fuel trucks on their way and will be arriving to most parts of the district today and tomorrow.
• That means our supermarkets and grocery stores will soon be restocked, so there is no need for panic buying. There will be enough for everyone if we all shop as normal.
• Top Energy is doing amazing work and have restored power to around 11,000 customers. About 3,770 customers are still without power. Many of these are in our more remote areas like the Hokianga and the Aupōuri Peninsula.
• As many as 25 community-led centres have been open around the district providing support to around 1000 people, most of whom need assistance due to ongoing power cuts. Some centres have now closed as needs diminish. 
• If you need assistance, please contact the council on 0800 920 029 to find out which centre is nearest you. You can also find an updated list of open community-led centres on our website
• Our rapid response teams are out on the road again today assessing needs and damage.
• We are lucky to have 12 staff from Christchurch assisting us. That means we will have 10 teams of three out on the road visiting Far North communities. We aim to visit as much of the district as possible but the focus will be on those areas impacted by power cuts.
• If you see a ute with FNDC and Civil Defence logos and need assistance, please flag it down. 

Road	Road status	Road damage
Duncan Road	Closed	Under Slip
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Lovatt Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Masons Road	Closed	Flooding
Opahi Station	Closed	Flooding
Rusk Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tokawhero Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tawata Road	Closed	Tree fallen

As of 8.30am, Thursday 16 February

• All Hokianga ferry services are currently operating as normal.
• The number of reported road closures across the Region has started to drop, as good progress is being made with tree clearance and slip removals.

• Top Energy are working hard to restore power across the district. They have a huge task ahead of them so, if you can, please prepared for extended periods without power. Contact us on 0800 920029 if you need support. You can view all current outages on the Top Energy Outage Centre website.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Opahi station	Closed	Flooding
Quinces Landing	Closed	Tree fallen
Rusk Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tawata Road	Closed	Tree fallen
Tokawhero	Closed	Tree fallen
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding

As of 4.30pm, Wednesday 15 February

• Access to the Far North via State Highways has now been restored and heavy traffic can now access the area meaning trucks with food, fuel and other supplies can continue to provide for the Far North. So please do not panic, supplies will continue to make their way north. Shop as normal.
• Top Energy are working hard to restore power across the district. They have a huge task ahead of them so, if you can, please prepared for extended periods without power. Contact us on 0800 920029 if you need support.
• Some of our communities will be without power for some time yet. Please be careful when eating food from the freezer that may have thawed some time ago. Cook food thoroughly. Also be very careful if cooking on a BBQ or as cooker indoors. Make sure you have good ventilation, or better still, cook outside now that the weather has calmed.
• Mobile coverage has also been down across the Far North today due power outages. It has been out in some areas for longer. Telecommunications companies are working to get key mobile sites running. There is no ETA on when services will be fully restored.
• Our rapid response teams are out in the community today, checking in on our community welfare centres and assessing needs. They’re also taking stock of any damage to infrastructure.
• Our water services are back up and running so we are no longer asking people to conserve water, other than at our Rāwene and Ōmanaia communities. We are delivering drinking water to these communities.

• While Cyclone Gabrielle has left our region, we still have a number of road closures across the district. These are being cleared as quickly as possible but please check the list below and plan your journey.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Opahi Station	Closed	Flooding
Rusk Road	TBC	Fallen Tree
Tokawhero	Closed	Fallen Tree
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Motutoa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

As of 12.30pm, Wednesday 15 February

• Access to the Far North via State Highways has now been restored and heavy traffic can now access the area meaning trucks with food, fuel and other supplies can continue to provide for the Far North. So please do not panic, supplies will continue to make their way north. Buy as normal.
• There has been no internet service for the majority of the Far North today. This has been caused by a landslip north of Whangarei which has broken a fibre cable.
• Mobile coverage has also been down across the Far North today due power outages. It has been out in some areas for longer. Telecommunications companies are working to get key mobile sites running. There is no ETA on when services will be fully restored.
• FNDC rapid response teams are out in the community assessing needs and damage to infrastructure. They will have limited supplies of bottled water with them.
• We have had no phone service at out council contact centre today. We now have limited contact centre capacity and you can contact us on 0800 920 029. But please only call if it is urgent. If it is an emergency, please call 111.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Awaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Champion Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Duddy Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Hives Road	Closed	Flooding
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Matawaia-Maromakau Road	Closed	Flooding
Omanaia Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Pokpu Road	Closed	Flooding
Pipiwai Road	Closed	Flooding/slip
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Rusk Road	Tbc	Fallen Tree
Runaruna	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Riha Road Way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Rore Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Tokawhero	Closed	Fallen Tree
Whangaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Wells Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

As of 4.30pm, Tuesday 14 February

• A nationwide State of Emergency was announced today.
• Our biggest issue now is continued power outages with approx. 14,000 homes without power this morning. Top Energy is working to restore power. However, some parts will remain without power for extended periods. We are asking people to contact us on 0800 920 029 if they need support.
• Around 30 households at Ōmanaia are without water currently due to extended power outages in the area. Whānau requiring drinking water are asked to go to the Rāwene Town Hall where a community-led welfare centre is operating and bottled water has been supplied.
• We are asking all households and businesses connected to council water supplies to conserve water. Power outages have stopped us from treating and pumping water in several supply areas, but especially Kawakawa-Moerewa. Its reservoir is significantly reduced. Please take shorter showers, flush less and put off washing clothes.
• Far North District Council rapid response teams covered much of the district today in FNDC / Civil Defence marked vehicles. They were assessing impacts of the cyclone, the needs of residents and community-led welfare centres. They have reported no major issues.
• If you and your family are affected by this event, you may be eligible for a civil defence payment from Work and Income. Go to its website for more detail.
• For the safety of customers and staff, our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will continue to be closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will provide updates on when these facilities reopen as soon as we can. Our i-Sites and Customer Service Centres continue to operate where possible to provide information and support. Our seasonal pools are closed due to the weather but we hope to reopen them tomorrow or Thursday.
• The district’s smaller refuse transfer stations and the community recycling centres will be closed today. We advise people not to put out kerbside rubbish or recycling due to the risk of waste being blown around. However, the three main transfer stations at Kaitāia, Kaikohe and Waipapa will be open. All Refuse Transfer Stations and Community Recycling Centres will resume normal schedules tomorrow.

Travel

• State Highway closures in the Far North. Go to the Waka Kotahi Journeys webpage for updates.
• Hokianga vehicle ferry services are not operating due to weather conditions. Please monitor the Northland Ferries Hokianga Facebook page for updates.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Matawaia-Maromaku Road	Closed	Flooding
Omanaia Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Hives Road	Closed	Flooding
Duddy Road	Closed	Flooding
Pokpu Road	Closed	Flooding
Pipiwai Road	Closed	Flooding/slip
Tokawhero	Closed	Fallen Tree
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Quinces landing	Closed	Fallen Tree

As of 2pm, Tuesday 14 February

• A nationwide State of Emergency was announced today.
• Our biggest issue now is continued power outages with approx. 14,000 homes without power this morning. Top Energy is working to restore power. However, some parts will remain without power for extended periods. We are asking people to contact us on 0800 920 029 if they need support.
• Around 30 households at ōmanaia are without water currently due to extended power outages in the area. Whānau requiring drinking water are asked to go to the Rāwene Town Hall where a community-led welfare centre is operating. Bottled water supplies are being trucked in on an Unimog (truck) this afternoon and should arrive around 3:30pm this afternoon.
• We are asking all households and businesses connected to council water supplies to conserve water. Power outages have stopped us from treating and pumping water in several supply areas, but especially Kawakawa-Moerewa. Its reservoir is down to 30% full. Please take shorter showers, flush less and put off washing clothes. 
• Far North District Council rapid response teams are again travelling around the district today in FNDC / Civil Defence marked vehicles. They will be confirming impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and assessing needs of residents and community-led welfare centres. Please tell them if you need assistance or to report storm damage.
• The location of the Far North’s 33 community-led welfare centres and Civil Defence-led welfare centres are now listed on our webpage. Please do not go to a welfare centre without calling the council first on 0800 920 029. We need to ensure that this is the best option for you and that the centre nearest can open. 
• If you and your family are affected by this event, you may be eligible for a civil defence payment from Work and Income. Go to its website for more detail.
• For the safety of customers and staff, our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will continue to be closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will provide updates on when these facilities reopen as soon as we can. Our i-Sites and Customer Service Centres will continue to operate, where possible, to provide information and support as needed. Our seasonal pools are also closed due to the weather but we hope to reopen them by Wednesday or Thursday.
• The district’s smaller refuse transfer stations and the community recycling centres will be closed today. We advise people not to put out kerbside rubbish or recycling due to the risk of waste being blown around. However, the three main transfer stations at Kaitāia, Kaikohe and Waipapa will be open.

Travel

• State Highway closures in the Far North. Go to the Waka Kotahi Journeys webpage for updates.
  • State Highway 1 between Kawakawa and Whangarei is closed at Whakapara due to flooding.
  • State Highway 1 at Mangamuka remains closed due to previous slips.
• Hokianga vehicle ferry services are not operating due to weather conditions. Please monitor the Northland Ferries Hokianga Facebook page for updates.

 

Road	Road status	Road damage
Awaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Hives Road	Closed	Flooding
Kohumaru Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Matawaia-Maromaku Road	Closed	Flooding
Omanaia Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Runaruna Road	Closed	Over slip
Sweetwater Road	Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Te Riha Road Way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Rore Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Whangaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

As of 12.30pm, Tuesday 14 February

• This morning, a nationwide State of Emergency was announced. While we are expecting rain and wind to ease in the Far North around lunchtime, we are not through this yet.
• Our biggest issue now is continued power outages with approx. 14,000 homes without power. Top Energy is working to restore power, but it is unlikely to be back on in some parts today so please prepare for extended periods without power. We are asking people to contact us on 0800 920 029 if they need support.
• We are also asking households and businesses connected to council water supplies to conserve water, especially Kawakawa-Moerewa. Its reservoir is down to 30% full due to power outages which have stopped us treating and pumping water. We are seeing similar issues with other supplies. Please take shorter showers, flush less and put off washing clothes. 
• The location of the Far North’s 33 community-led welfare centres and four Civil Defence-led welfare centres are now listed on our webpage. Please do not go to a welfare centre without calling the council first on 0800 920 029. We need to ensure that this is the best option for you and that the centre nearest can open. 
• Far North District Council rapid response teams are again travelling around the district today in FNDC / Civil Defence marked vehicles. They will be confirming impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and assessing needs of residents and community-led welfare centres. Please tell them if you need assistance or to report storm damage.
• For the safety of customers and staff, our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will continue to be closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will provide updates on when these facilities reopen as soon as we can. Our i-Sites and Customer Service Centres will continue to operate, where possible, to provide information and support as needed. 
• The district’s smaller refuse transfer stations and the community recycling centres will be closed today. We advise people not to put out kerbside rubbish or recycling due to the risk of waste being blown around. However, the three main transfer stations at Kaitāia, Kaikohe and Waipapa will be open.

Travel

State Highway closures in the Far North. Go to the Waka Kotahi Journeys webpage for updates.

• State Highway 1 between Kawakawa and Whangarei is closed at Whakapara due to flooding.
• State Highway 1 at Mangamuka remains closed due to previous slips.

• Hokianga vehicle ferry services are not operating due to weather conditions. Please monitor the Northland Ferries Hokianga Facebook page for updates.

 

Roading staff have had a very busy night with extremely high afterhours call numbers particularly through North Hokianga through to Kaitaia. Some road inspections have had to be terminated early due to fallen debris, trees and flooding with some of our contractors withdrawing staff from the network due to safety risks until wind speeds reduced.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Awaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Hives Road	Closed	Flooding
Kohumaru Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Matawaia-Maromaku Road	Closed	Flooding
Omanaia Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Runaruna Road	Closed	Over slip
Te Riha Road Way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Rore Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Whangaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

 

As of 8.30am, Tuesday 14 February

• State Highway closures in the Far North. Go to the Waka Kotahi Journeys webpage for updates.

• State Highway 1 between Kawakawa and Whangarei is closed at Whakapara due to flooding.
• State Highway 11 between Kawakawa and Ōpua is closed at Taumarere due to flooding.  
• State Highway 1 at Mangamuka remains closed due to previous slips.

• Hokianga vehicle ferry services are not operating due to weather conditions. Please monitor the Northland Ferries Hokianga Facebook page for updates.
• The location of the Far North’s 33 community-led welfare centres and four Civil Defence-led welfare centres are now listed on our webpage. Please do not go to a welfare centre without calling the council first on 0800 920 029. We need to ensure that this is the best option for you and that the centre nearest can open. 
• Far North District Council rapid response teams will again be travelling around the district today in FNDC / Civil Defence marked vehicles. They will be confirming impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and assessing needs. Please tell them if you need assistance or to report storm damage.
• For the safety of customers and staff, our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will continue to be closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will provide updates on when these facilities reopen as soon as we can. Our i-Sites and Customer Service Centres will continue to operate, where possible, to provide information and support as needed. 
• The district’s smaller refuse transfer stations and the community recycling centres will be closed today. We advise people not to put out kerbside rubbish or recycling due to the risk of waste being blown around. However, the three main transfer stations at Kaitāia, Kaikohe and Waipapa will be open.

Image: Building control officer Hayden Barker is part of our rapid response teams touring the district today. 

 

Road	Road status	Road damage
Awaroa Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Broadwood Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Browns Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Curtis Road	Lane Closed	Fallen Tree
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Hives Road	Closed	Flooding
Kohumaru Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Kaitāia Awaroa	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Marlow Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Matawaia-Maromaku Road	Closed	Flooding
Omanaia Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Old Bay Road	Lane Closed	Fallen Tree
Pawarenga Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Purerua Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Debris
Piaka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Puketotara Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Purerua Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Riha Road Way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Takahue Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Runaruna	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Rore Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Tapuhi Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Tirohanga Road	Lane Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Karuwha Parade	Road Passable - Caution Required	Debris
Upokarau Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Debris on road
Waoku Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wekaweka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wharekawa Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Overslip
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Waimatenui Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

 

Final update of the day as of 4.30pm, Monday 13 February

• The smaller refuse transfer stations and the community recycling centres will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday 14) as a precaution. We advise people not to put out kerbside rubbish or recycling due to the risk of waste being blown around should containers be overturned, or bags ripped. However, the three main sites Kaitaia, Kaikohe and Waipapa will remain open.
• Streetlights will be affected in areas that don’t have electricity tonight.
• This will be the last update of the day.

Please stay safe and follow all necessary precautions during this time. 

Road	Road status	Road damage
Pawarenga Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Kohumaru Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Kaitāia Awaroa	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Broadwood Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Te Riha Road Way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Takahue Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Runaruna	Closed	Over slip
Waihapa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Brindle Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Browns Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Trees
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Marlow Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Matawaia-Maromkau Road	Closed	Flooding
Omanaia Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Piaka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Puketotara Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Tapuhi Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Te Karuwha Parade	Road Passable - Caution Required	Debris
Upokarau Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiomio Road	Closed	Flooding
Waoku Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Wekaweka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree

As of 2pm, Monday 13 February

• A team of 10 Far North District Council staff will be travelling around the district today in five FNDC marked vehicles confirming the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. The ‘ground truthing’ exercise will be focused on our more remote areas and those most seriously impacted by power outages. They will provide updates to the council’s Emergency Operations Centre on storm damage to buildings and the roading network so that responses can be prioritised. Residents who have concerns or need to report storm damage should pass this information onto the teams. They will be travelling in FNDC utes with Civil Defence markings. The ground truthing exercise will be repeated tomorrow.  
• We strongly advise drivers not to attempt to travel through flooded roads. Flood waters can obscure deep dropouts that will submerge even larger vehicles. The vehicle’s bow wave can also flood or damage surrounding properties.
• The location of the Far North’s 33 community-led welfare centres and four Civil Defence-led welfare centres are now listed on our webpage. Please do not go to a welfare centre without calling the council first on 0800 920 029. We need to ensure that this is the best option for you and that the centre nearest can open. 
• For the safety of customers and staff, our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will continue to be closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will provide updates on when these facilities reopen as soon as we can. Our i-Sites and Customer Service Centres will continue to operate, where possible, to provide information and support as needed. 
  Please stay safe and follow all necessary precautions during this time. 

Image: Building control officer Hayden Barker is part of our ground truthing team.   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Broadwood Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Kaitāia Awaroa	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Kohumaru Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Matawaia-Maromaku Road	Closed	Flooding
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Monument Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Oromahoe Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Puketotara Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Pawarenga Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Quinces landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Redcliffs Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Takahue Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Riha Road Way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Taphui Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Upokarau Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiōmio Road	Closed	Flooding
Wekaweka Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road	Road Passable - Caution Required	Fallen Tree

As of 12.30pm, Monday 13 February

• For the safety of customers and staff, our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will continue to be closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will provide updates on when these facilities reopen as soon as we can.
  Our i-Sites and Customer Service Centres will continue to operate, where possible, to provide information and support as needed. 
  Please stay safe and follow all necessary precautions during this time. 

• The location of the Far North’s 33 community-led welfare centres and four Civil Defence-led welfare centres are now listed on our webpage. Please do not go to a welfare centre without calling the council first on 0800 920 029. We need to ensure that this is the best option for you and that the centre nearest can open. 

   

Road	Road status	Road damage
Callaghans Road	Closed	Flooding
Doels Road	Closed	Flooding
Forest Road	Closed	Debris under bridge
Matawaia-Maromkau Road	Closed	Flooding
Maromaku-Tōwai Road	Closed	Flooding
Mason Road	Closed	Flooding
Quinces Landing	Closed	Fallen Tree
Redcliffs Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Ruapekapeka Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Te Riha Road way	Closed	Fallen Tree
Takahue Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waikare Road	Closed	Flooding
Waiōmio Road	Closed	Flooding

As of 8.30am, Monday 13 February

• For the safety of customers and staff, Paihia, Hokianga and Kaitāia i-Sites will be closed until further notice.
• The smaller refuse transfer stations and the community recycling centres will be closed today as a precaution. We advise people not to put out kerbside rubbish or recycling due to the risk of waste being blown around should containers be overturned, or bags ripped. However, the three main sites Kaitaia, Kaikohe and Waipapa will remain open.
• Community Board meetings scheduled to take place this week have been postponed.
• Due to power outages, alarms on household low pressure wastewater systems may be activated. If the alarm sounds on your sewer system, please push the mute button on the control box, usually found on the bottom. Once power resumes and the system recovers, the station will return to normal operation. Please advise us on 0800 920 029 if a spill has occurred from your tank or lodge an RFS online.
• Some callers have asked about Kaitāia water. Far North Waters has deployed generators Kaitāia to ensure constant power supply to our critical water assets. The plant is operational and water is secure.

Road	Road status	Road damage
Kaitāia-Awaroa Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Kohumaru Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Ngataki Road	Closed	Fallen Trees
Pawarenga Road	One Lane	Fallen Tree
Purerua Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Rangiahua Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Remuera Settlement Road	Closed	Fallen Tree
Waiare Road	Closed	Fallen Tree

As of 8pm, Sunday 12 February

• A precautionary State of Emergency was declared for Northland at 4.30pm Sunday 12 February, for an initial period of seven days, as part of the regional response to Cyclone Gabrielle.
• For the safety of customers and staff, our our six libraries and museum at Te Ahu will be closed from tomorrow (Monday 13 February) until further notice. Our i-SITES and Customer Service Centres will continue to operate, where possible, to provide information and support as needed.   

As of 2pm, Sunday 12 February

• MetService New Zealand has upgraded Northland's warnings to both a Red Heavy Rain Warning and Red Strong Wind Warning. A Red Warning is only issued for the most impactful events.
• Hokianga vehicle ferry services have been suspended for the rest of today.  Please monitor the Northland Ferries Hokianga Facebook page for updates.

As of 11.30am, Sunday 12 February

MetService New Zealand has upgraded Northland's warning to a Red Heavy Rain Warning, with the Orange Strong Wind Warning for Northland remaining in place. A Red Warning is only issued for the most impactful events.

Road closures

There were no confirmed road closures in the Far North this morning. We will provide updates here as they come in. If you need to report weather related impacts to our district roading network, please use our dedicated Request for Service link. Or call us anytime on 0800 920 029.  

Welfare centres

We have evacuation centres at pre-set locations across the district. These are currently on standby. If these centres are required, the locations and other important information will be shared via radio, our website, Facebook, and Emergency Mobile broadcast in urgent situations. 

If you feel you need to leave your current location, we recommend you go to friends and whānau in the first instance, as it’s usually more comfortable than being in a centre.

We are constantly monitoring the situation and will publish the location of evacuation centres as they are required. Doing so beforehand could risk sending people to a centre that needs to be moved due to flooding or other issues.

 

 

Last updated 13 March 2023