1 00:00:09,093 --> 00:00:12,693 Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talk ZB Follow 2 00:00:12,773 --> 00:00:16,133 Speaker 1: this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:16,692 --> 00:00:21,293 Speaker 2: Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell, Mark, very 4 00:00:21,332 --> 00:00:22,813 Speaker 2: good afternoon to you. 5 00:00:23,012 --> 00:00:25,333 Speaker 3: Good afternoon, hey, thank you for joining us. What are 6 00:00:25,332 --> 00:00:29,453 Speaker 3: the worst hit parts of the country? How well, I mean, 7 00:00:29,493 --> 00:00:31,893 Speaker 3: it's We've got a cane on in the country at 8 00:00:31,893 --> 00:00:35,973 Speaker 3: the moment. Obviously, Auckland's been hit with with winds and 9 00:00:36,973 --> 00:00:42,253 Speaker 3: thunderstorms and in a tornado obviously down here, I'm down 10 00:00:42,293 --> 00:00:45,533 Speaker 3: and blend him at the moment. And we've obviously got 11 00:00:45,973 --> 00:00:49,533 Speaker 3: heavy rainfall here and flooding, lots of surface flooding. Obviously, 12 00:00:49,573 --> 00:00:53,693 Speaker 3: the river's been monitored and the Spring Creek community has 13 00:00:53,693 --> 00:00:57,373 Speaker 3: been evacuated as a precaution because there is a stop 14 00:00:57,413 --> 00:00:59,813 Speaker 3: beak out there that is not that stable. And so 15 00:01:00,933 --> 00:01:03,973 Speaker 3: the all the councils are responding really well, obviously here 16 00:01:03,973 --> 00:01:06,693 Speaker 3: with the Maya, the Dean Taylor. I've spoken with Nick 17 00:01:06,693 --> 00:01:10,493 Speaker 3: Smith and Nelson and Tim Can and Tasman. They're evactivated 18 00:01:10,493 --> 00:01:13,693 Speaker 3: as well. The EOCS has stood up, but everyone is 19 00:01:13,693 --> 00:01:17,453 Speaker 3: taking decisions early, and our first responders are outstanding. The 20 00:01:17,533 --> 00:01:19,893 Speaker 3: response is really good. There's been people that people that 21 00:01:19,973 --> 00:01:23,133 Speaker 3: need to be evacuated have been evacuated, and everyone is 22 00:01:23,173 --> 00:01:26,333 Speaker 3: well prepared at managing from what I see right across 23 00:01:26,333 --> 00:01:28,173 Speaker 3: the country the weather events that we been hit with 24 00:01:28,212 --> 00:01:28,973 Speaker 3: at the moment. 25 00:01:29,292 --> 00:01:32,453 Speaker 2: Are there any concerns over the next twelve hours for you, 26 00:01:32,613 --> 00:01:36,372 Speaker 2: Minister understand high tide there's some caution around that as 27 00:01:36,413 --> 00:01:39,133 Speaker 2: it starts to come through. Is that the main area 28 00:01:39,173 --> 00:01:39,893 Speaker 2: of concern now? 29 00:01:41,013 --> 00:01:43,973 Speaker 3: Yeah, talking to Nick Smith earlier there, Nelson's sight tide 30 00:01:44,093 --> 00:01:46,012 Speaker 3: was at eleven o'clock. That's what they were watching. So 31 00:01:46,053 --> 00:01:48,653 Speaker 3: we've got through that and the initial inform all the 32 00:01:48,693 --> 00:01:51,973 Speaker 3: information I have most recently is that they're starting to 33 00:01:52,893 --> 00:01:56,373 Speaker 3: things look like they're starting to improve there. But of 34 00:01:56,413 --> 00:01:58,893 Speaker 3: course it's still raining here and you're going to have 35 00:01:58,933 --> 00:02:00,893 Speaker 3: water that's going to come out of the hills, and 36 00:02:00,933 --> 00:02:03,173 Speaker 3: it's trying to anticipate how much of that will arrive. 37 00:02:03,333 --> 00:02:07,173 Speaker 3: So look, that's with managing these events. It's our by 38 00:02:07,213 --> 00:02:11,853 Speaker 3: our arm obviously trying to use predictions and the information 39 00:02:11,973 --> 00:02:15,413 Speaker 3: coming through from our scientists and the met Service. But 40 00:02:16,532 --> 00:02:18,532 Speaker 3: the one thing that I would say is that the 41 00:02:19,013 --> 00:02:21,733 Speaker 3: response that I've seen is outstanding, that's been proactive as 42 00:02:21,733 --> 00:02:26,013 Speaker 3: they've gone early and everyone's highly organized. We're talking to 43 00:02:26,053 --> 00:02:28,813 Speaker 3: a Minister of Emergency Management Mark make sure what should 44 00:02:28,853 --> 00:02:32,813 Speaker 3: people do in the affected areas. Just make sure that 45 00:02:32,853 --> 00:02:37,373 Speaker 3: you keep checking the civil defense websites, stay out of 46 00:02:37,373 --> 00:02:40,773 Speaker 3: floodwaters because they're dangerous. You don't know what's in them. 47 00:02:40,893 --> 00:02:44,733 Speaker 3: And obviously cooperate and coordinate and be compliant with any 48 00:02:44,733 --> 00:02:47,493 Speaker 3: of our first responders and any of the things that 49 00:02:47,813 --> 00:02:49,813 Speaker 3: the council and first responders are trying to do around 50 00:02:49,813 --> 00:02:50,853 Speaker 3: public safety. 51 00:02:51,053 --> 00:02:53,493 Speaker 2: And those messages as well. Minister, for anyone that has 52 00:02:53,532 --> 00:02:55,333 Speaker 2: been hit by flooding, they needed to get out of 53 00:02:55,373 --> 00:02:58,373 Speaker 2: their house, they're concerned about relatives checking on them, and 54 00:02:58,453 --> 00:03:02,493 Speaker 2: there are numbers and evacuation centers available for those people. 55 00:03:03,493 --> 00:03:05,852 Speaker 3: That's right. Everyone's sort of keep in contact with each other, 56 00:03:06,893 --> 00:03:10,573 Speaker 3: use your phone networks, which teams are very good at doing. 57 00:03:11,413 --> 00:03:15,173 Speaker 3: On The police, for example out at Spring Creek, have 58 00:03:15,252 --> 00:03:19,773 Speaker 3: been very flexible in terms of how those checkpoints have 59 00:03:19,853 --> 00:03:22,893 Speaker 3: been run. They'll take people into their house, they need 60 00:03:22,933 --> 00:03:24,573 Speaker 3: to pick up a pedal, get something out to get 61 00:03:24,573 --> 00:03:28,773 Speaker 3: them back out again. So look from my perspective right 62 00:03:28,773 --> 00:03:31,012 Speaker 3: from the start, and I've been monitoring this from yesterday. 63 00:03:32,013 --> 00:03:35,333 Speaker 3: All the councils from the mayors down have been responsive, 64 00:03:35,373 --> 00:03:39,093 Speaker 3: they've been proactive. Everyone's well coordinated and it's a very 65 00:03:39,133 --> 00:03:41,773 Speaker 3: good response. Now you're down in Blenhim. 66 00:03:41,933 --> 00:03:44,173 Speaker 2: Have you heard anything about this tornado in Auckland. 67 00:03:45,413 --> 00:03:47,933 Speaker 3: Yes, I have. I've just got some initial information on 68 00:03:47,973 --> 00:03:50,173 Speaker 3: that and actually I will be traveling back to Auckland 69 00:03:50,493 --> 00:03:53,253 Speaker 3: this afternoon and get back on the ground where there 70 00:03:53,293 --> 00:03:56,253 Speaker 3: are some issues up there as well. Obviously I dealt 71 00:03:56,253 --> 00:03:58,453 Speaker 3: with the one on Munga Fi earlier in the year. 72 00:03:58,933 --> 00:04:01,133 Speaker 3: The tornadoes are very hard to predict. They just sort 73 00:04:01,133 --> 00:04:04,133 Speaker 3: of turn up. It's random, but of course they're capable 74 00:04:04,133 --> 00:04:06,613 Speaker 3: of causing quite a bit of havoc and chaos when 75 00:04:06,613 --> 00:04:10,093 Speaker 3: they do. So you know, I'll get more information when 76 00:04:10,133 --> 00:04:11,293 Speaker 3: i'll hit the ground up in Auckland. 77 00:04:11,533 --> 00:04:14,453 Speaker 2: Yeah, Minister, thank you very much for having a catch 78 00:04:14,533 --> 00:04:16,493 Speaker 2: up with us and all the best down there. 79 00:04:17,293 --> 00:04:19,293 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you. Thanks soving us on that. 80 00:04:19,533 --> 00:04:22,493 Speaker 2: Is emergency recovery, Minister Mark Mitchell. 81 00:04:23,133 --> 00:04:25,773 Speaker 1: For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on 82 00:04:25,853 --> 00:04:28,813 Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever 83 00:04:28,893 --> 00:04:31,452 Speaker 1: you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio