Auckland Council’s online flood viewer is seeing sustained high use more than two years after the 2023 anniversary weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, events that caused 15 deaths, forced thousands from their homes, and inflicted up to $14.5 billion in economic losses.
The tool, which provides a bird’s-eye view of waterflows and flood-prone areas, recorded more than 780,000 visits in 2024 - averaging over 2,000 a day, The Post reported. Council officials say the spike reflects ongoing public concern about flooding, even in locations well above sea level.
“Even when people are going to look at houses on a hilltop, where it’s downhill in all directions, they’re still asking the question about flooding,” said Nick Brown, head of intelligence for Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters unit. “Lots of flooding occurred; it is still in people’s consciousness in Auckland.”
Flood data for the city was first made fully public in 2013. A surge in usage followed in August 2023, when the viewer was made mobile-friendly. Senior Healthy Waters specialist, Nancy Baines, said the update was designed to reach both buyers and renters. “Renters are really key. They move a lot, and they don’t pay for a LIM because they’re moving so often, and it’s expensive,” she said, referring to land information memorandums that outline hazards such as periodic flooding.
Are rising premiums prompting the surge?
According to an IAG survey, nearly nine in 10 prospective homebuyers now check for natural hazard risks, up from 55% before the 2023 disasters. However, CoreLogic chief economist Kelvin Davidson said he had not seen evidence that heightened awareness had yet influenced house prices. While past floods, such as those in Dunedin in 2022, temporarily affected values, he noted those impacts faded over time.
Davidson said risk-based insurance pricing could be more influential, as higher premiums may limit what buyers can afford to borrow. Several insurers, including Tower, are moving toward more individualised pricing based on hazard exposure.
The increased public access to hazard data aligns with recommendations from the Independent Reference Group on Climate Adaptation, chaired by former Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation chief executive, Matt Whineray.
“This is a crucial first step toward a fairer, more informed system, and it’s a step that we can take right now,” said member Jimmy Higgins, chief executive of Suncorp NZ.
Banks are also showing greater interest. Westpac chief executive Catherine McGrath said hazard risk is now a key consideration for buyers and lenders. “I think the way that we get through all of this together… is with data,” she said.
Earlier this month, the council expanded its information tools with a coastal monitoring portal tracking sand levels, coastal imagery, and water conditions at key beaches.
