Floodwater from the nearby river rose over the property. Photo: Supplied
Disaster responders are focusing on intelligence and logistics in a push to improve the country's poor record for handling big emergencies.
In the wake of several scathing reviews of how various agencies handled Cyclone Gabrielle, the National Emergency Management Agency [NEMA] has begun a catastrophic planning programme.
Central to that is a 'catastrophic event handbook'.
It is focusing on four things first - intelligence, logistics, mass relief and international assistance - then another seven, including command and coordination.
"The content is informed by science, based on the maximum credible events for hazards that Aotearoa New Zealand faces," NEMA said.
The first version of the handbook is due out in December.
The 11 workstreams are:
- Command, Control, Coordination & Communication (C4)
- Intelligence
- Life Safety
- Critical Resources & Capability
- Built Environment & Critical Infrastructure
- Logistics
- Public Education & Information
- Mass Relief
- Management of the Deceased
- Recovery
- International Assistance