Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has extended the duration of the local state of emergency for another week, in accordance with section 71(2) of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002.

Mayor Brown is satisfied that an emergency still exists in the Auckland region and is an ongoing event, including more flooding on Tuesday, significant land movements yesterday and the risk of more land movement with further weather events forecast in coming days.

The Mayor has been advised that Police continue to believe emergency powers remain helpful in supporting Auckland Council to exercise its powers under the Building Act 2004, and that emergency powers for the relief of distress, including emergency food, clothing, and shelter, continue to be needed by Te Whatu Ora: Health New Zealand and welfare response partners.

These factors would have been sufficient for the Mayor to extend the state of local emergency, and he is also mindful of the worsening weather outlook associated with Cyclone Gabrielle.

“My decision reflects the seriousness of the current and potential situation and our response,” Mayor Brown said.

“After what Aucklanders have experienced since Friday 27 January, and with our region waterlogged, it will be a very serious situation if the current weather forecasts eventuate.

“As we prepare, the two most important messages are:

1. If the cyclone does come near to the North Island, the focus will be saving lives, preventing serious injury, keeping safe, and also protecting property
2. In the next two or three days, we all can best prepare by cleaning up, with the Big Auckland Clean Up programme, that my deputy, Desley Simpson, is leading, has just became that much more urgent.

“Please keep informed through MetService, through Auckland Emergency Management, through the formal media briefings we are running, and through the media itself.

“If life is at risk, call 111 immediately. For other assistance, call 0800 22 22 00.”

The advice on which the Mayor based his decision was provided to him at 4.00 pm and the declaration was signed soon after.

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