Authorities will today begin assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council Chief Executive, Doug Tate, said the damage to the roading network would be “huge”, and said they will start to get a really good picture by the end of today.
He said teams would also have a better understanding of the situation in Waipawa, where homes in the lower part of the town were flooded after the Waipawa River breached its banks.
Mr Tate said the stopbank has been decimated in several places.
Teams will also visit the Porangahau Village today following flooding there yesterday.
Residents were evacuated to the Porangahau Rugby Club.
Doug Tate said while receiving limited communications with coastal communities from Porangahau to Kairakau, teams will visit those areas today.
The Civil Defence Centre in Waipawa is to remain open for the next few days at least, and the Waipukurau Centre at the CHB College Hall will remain open for the time being.
The Otane Civil Defence Centre is also open.
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All primary and secondary schools in Central Hawke’s Bay will close again today.
The Ministry of Education recommended schools close yesterday and today, and a decision on whether schools will be open tomorrow will be made later today.
Hunter Park, Lakeview and Waipawa Kindergartens are also closed today, as is Scallywaggs Kindergarten and Care, and the Waipukurau Te Kohanga Reo.
Dannevirke High School is also closed today, while Norsewood School has said it will be open today.
Buses will not run in the Tararua District today.
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About 1800 properties remain without power in Central Hawke’s Bay this morning.
Centralines spokesperson Danny Gough said yesterday that approximately 5600 customers had been affected by power outages, with crews doing all they could to restore power as quickly as possible.
He said 1850 households are still without power, and the focus will be to restore the main backbone of the network first.
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Waipukurau and Otane residents are being asked to conserve drinking water this morning.
Pumping stations were badly damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle, promoting the CHBDC to put water restrictions in place.
Waipawa ran out of water at about 10.30 last night, with Waipukurau and Otane expected to do so today.
The Council said it could take three to four days to get things fixed.
Water tankers are available at the Otane Town Hall, the Waipawa Fire Station, and across from GM Panelbeaters in Waipukurau.
