Tauranga City Council Mayor, Mahé Drysdale, has given notice that the city will begin a local transition period following the recent fatal landslide.
The Notice of Local Transition period, under Section 94B of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, took effect at 12.42pm today and is due to end on 4 March unless it is extended or ends before then.
Mayor Drysdale extended his appreciation to the agencies, community groups, iwi and hapū, and volunteers who have supported the Tauranga Emergency Management response.
“A big thank you to everyone involved, including those in our community who have supported the families who tragically lost loved ones, and those who continue to support their neighbours, friends and family members affected by the recent severe weather event,” he said.
Tauranga Emergency Management Controller, Nigel McGlone says while the state of emergency has ended, this transition period means that support continues to be available to those affected and that the ongoing response activities for the last two weeks can be finalised.
“Essential support activities will continue for our isolated and impacted communities for as long as they’re needed,” Mr McGlone said.
Tauranga City Council Recovery Manager, Paula Naude, will now assume responsibility for the local transition period.
“While Mount Maunganui is largely open, access to Mauao is still restricted and geotechnical specialists are assessing conditions to determine when areas can safely reopen,” she said.
“This will take some time but once it is deemed safe, work can begin on clearing tracks, reassessing risks, and putting any necessary long‑term safety measures in place.
“Additional permanent fencing will be installed and shipping containers will be put in position as a precautionary measure to stop any potential debris movement.”
Council says it will be working closely with the Mauao Trust to come up with a plan to assess the damage and put a plan in place to see what reopening Mauao looks like.
“Teams on the ground are working hard to have the area open as soon as practicable, but we don’t have a time frame for this. We do acknowledge the affect this has had on local businesses,” said Ms Naude.
