New mapping outlines future landslip risks to Muriwai homes

New mapping released this week has given an indication of the potential risk for dozens of homes in the Auckland coastal settlement of Muriwai, if the land moves again.

A newsletter sent to a number of Muriwai residents, showed a map with a red and yellow line. The red indicated the shortest and longest possible movement if a landslide was to happen today.

Auckland Council's head of engineering resilience, Ross Roberts, says it's a "crude measure" based on aerial assessments, but he hoped teams would be able to do more intensive on the ground assessments from next week.

"Now that we've got that information, we will be going through a very important peer review process to make sure we have got it right," he says. "It's really important we do this safely... but we want to do it as quickly as we can.

"So we are trying to find that right balance about being absolutely right, but getting people in as quickly as possible."

But he says for those properties in the most at-risk areas such assessments will be more complex and it could be three to six months before they have a greater understanding of the risk.

The residents 1News spoke to this week understood the importance of assessing the risk, but hoped officials could give them more support as they wait for answers.

Many are facing a limit on accommodation subsidies via their insurance companies, and some are worried about the implications of what it may mean if their homes are undamaged, but the risk of them returning is too great.

Muriwai resident Caroline Bell-Booth is currently renting a property in the coastal settlement.

"The long-term question is if the risk is too great to our lives in the future, what happens to that land? What is the value of that land that is lost? These are questions you ask yourself in the middle of the night."

But they say it's more than just the loss of their homes that they are grappling with.

Greg Montgomery, is currently in short-term accommodation in St Heliers. He hopes they'll eventually be cleared to return home.

"If you are part of the Muriwai community, it represents a place that brings you health, brings you joy," he says. "To think you could never go back is really hard."

Minister for Auckland Michael Woods told 1News he intends to visit the community soon, as he acknowledged the challenges they faced.

"It's a very difficult situation for people in those coastal communities who are cut off so we are working hard to provide all of the support that we can and I'll be meeting with them shortly."