The Hawke’s Bay Independent Flood Review has called on home, business and property owners, iwi/hapū, communities, business groups and regional infrastructure owners impacted by flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle to contribute information relevant to the review.
Dr Phil Mitchell, chair of the independent panel conducting the review, said inviting the public to provide information was an important part of the fact-finding process.
“We want people to share with us any information they have that can help inform our review and we have endeavoured to make it easy for people to do that via our website, www.hbifr.nz.
“The website has a simple-to-use portal where people can answer specific questions either in writing or with a voice recording, and upload photos or videos they may have as well. The portal will be available for people to access until the middle of December,” he said.
The panel is keen to hear from people about:
• Their experience of river management and the maintenance of flood management assets prior to the cyclone
• What they saw happen to rivers and flood management assets during the cyclone
• Their ideas about how flood risk can be better managed in future.
“The information we receive, alongside the information we have requested of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, and others such as MetService, will then be used to inform our report and recommendations.”
