Alarming revelations have emerged about the shortcomings in Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s response to Cyclone Gabrielle, exposing a transmitter failure that jeopardised river water level updates due to aged battery issues and inadequate equipment maintenance.
Two independent reviews have shed light on these deficiencies, raising concerns among locals and prompting questions about the absence of timely evacuation orders that put lives at risk.
In a region that bore the brunt of Cyclone Gabrielle's fury six months ago, the failure to issue evacuation alarms before a critical transmitter malfunction has left residents questioning the adequacy of the response strategy.
Despite record river levels, Esk Valley locals believe that evacuation orders should have been implemented before the transmitter glitch occurred, as rivers were already swelling to unprecedented levels before midnight.
“Quite frankly it’s appalling that a crucial transmitter battery failed and no alarms were called, but evacuations should have happened hours earlier when emails were sent about record river levels,” Esk Valley Holiday Park owner Dan Gayle told 1News.
Leaked emails show record river levels
Leaked emails obtained by 1News show rivers were already surging to record levels before the midnight hour on February 13 this year. These emails were sent to 72 different regional leaders.
The last email sent at 11.30pm noted Rissington at a purple flood level, a 50 year high, and by 10pm the Esk Valley Waipunga Bridge had hit a red flood level, a 20 year high, with another 100 to 170mm of rain to fall overnight.
Esk Valley residents say that should have triggered urgent action.
Transmitter failure exacerbates cyclone impact
Two independent reviews have highlighted a critical transmitter failure during Cyclone Gabrielle.
This malfunction, attributed to an outdated battery and insufficient equipment maintenance, had far-reaching consequences. Nearly 50% of metered sites lost data transmission in the early hours of the cyclone due to the malfunctioning transmitter.
According to Nic Peet, Chief Executive of Hawke's Bay Regional Council, "during the cyclone, we weren't able to submit some of that telemetry data back to the regional council office here." This disruption stemmed from a sequence of events involving a power outage, a malfunction in the backup generator's shaft, and ultimately the failure of backup batteries.
Lack of ownership and maintenance raises concerns
The transmitter in question was the sole component of the flood warning system not owned or maintained by the council. The telemetry review confirms that it had been sold over a decade earlier.
Louise Parsons, a concerned Esk Valley resident, said the council’s actions had been appalling.
“We have a council that has basically decimated a region by their actions," she said.
Missed opportunity for timely evacuation
As evidence mounts, questions surrounding the lack of evacuation orders before the equipment failure come to the forefront. Esk Valley campground owner Dan Gale recalled that river levels were alarmingly high as early as 10:30pm.
“The river level was already approximately 6.5 metres high at 10:30pm, and within another hour or so it was at 7.2 which is lapping at the railway line and by midnight it was out over the road," Gale said.
"I'm aware the council received information from MetService at 9.30pm an their own forecasting had predicted another 100 to 150mm on top of what had already fallen and that river was at 6.2 metres so I would say at 10.30pm the button should have been pushed,for the emergency text to have gone out and that would have allowed people to get out and there wouldn't have been a risk to life, there should never have been a risk to life."
1News asked Hawke's Bay Regional Council Chief Executive Nic Peet why evacuations weren't called before the equipment failed?
“There's an independent review of the civil defence response and I think it's important to let that review do its work rather than me speculate on evacuation,” Peet said.
Moving forward
To bolster preparedness for future events, the council has procured a new mobile repeater in line with the telemetry review recommendations. Peet stressed the importance of having backup systems to ensure swift responses in the face of unforeseen circumstances.
However, the community demands more than just technical solutions. Locals have called for public apologies and comprehensive evacuation plans for riverside communities.
“The risk to life is squarely on the council's shoulders and so there has to be accountability for that,” Parsons said.
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