Preparations urged as cyclone nears Northland

Residents and visitors across Te Tai Tokerau are being warned to be prepared as Tropical Cyclone Vaianu barrels towards New Zealand.

Current modelling indicates the weather system, which is likely to transition to an ex-tropical cyclone, is expected to be felt from Saturday through to Monday, with heavy rain, damaging winds, coastal impacts, and an increased likelihood of slips and flooding.

Northland is identified as one of the regions most likely to be affected, impacting areas in our district already trying to recover from other recent weather events.

Ground conditions in the Far North remain highly saturated, increasing the risk of slips and localised flooding, and national guidelines indicate landslides are highly likely, even with lower rainfall thresholds due to the impact of the previous weather.

Far North District Council is continuing to maintain regular contact with our Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) partners, and our emergency response teams are currently on standby.

The council is prepared to reactivate the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) if the conditions warrant a coordinated response and has multi-agency briefing calls scheduled on Thursday and Saturday to evaluate conditions and ensure responsiveness.

We encourage everyone in the district to be prepared ahead of the weekend by:

• securing properties and clearing drains
• avoiding unnecessary travel during the peak of the cyclone
• preparing for potential power outages and isolation
• have emergency plans and supplies ready.

Road users should reduce their speed, use headlights, and drive to the conditions. Please call 111 if you believe your life or safety of others are at risk. Call Far North District Council on 0800 920 029 to report hazards.

To keep up to date with forecasts and weather-related events, head to Far North District Council, Northland Civil Defence, and MetService New Zealand.