Cyclone Gabrielle NZ

[Kiwifruit]

For anyone interested in seeing the damage done by Cyclone Gabrielle there is a reasonable amount of footage on Utube now. Sorry don't know how to do links. There is mention of a 6.1 magnitude earthquake. To the best of my knowledge there was no damage done. It was approximately 50kms deep, seems the shallow ones do the damage.
The flooding and slips have devastated homes businesses and farmland. Slash which is what forestry leave behind once the straight logs have been felled and branches stripped has washed off hill sides down the rivers and they block up against the bridges and the water flow against it all washes the bridge away. Cars buried in silt, homes full of it too. Very sad many have lost everything. Two volunteer firefighters lost their lives when they were caught in a big slip. At this point eight people have died. Some communities will need a lot of support to get their lives back to some sort of normal.
Nature has a mind of its own that no one can change. Being charged a carbon tax is just absolute bullshit. Maybe Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions play a part bigger than the climate change pushers will ever admit.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Thanks for the update mate, sad that people lose their lives helping others,  they are true heroes.

[Batkwaka]

I wish you all the best my Kiwi Friends.

[Kiwifruit]

Thanks Batty. Not troubled here in Tauranga but others have not been so lucky around the North Island. Not sure if the Coromandel Loop is open, had a lot of big slips on the Coromandel Peninsula. Look forward to riding around  there again soon.
Aussies have sent a team here to help with the clean up so big thanks to cousins from across the ditch 

[grog]

Kiwis,hope its all ok. Not long ago it was us fearing Gabrielle, it then went to destroy NZ. Just doesnt seem fair.

[gsxbarmy]

Hard to watch the devastation that's been going on in NZ, terrible that some have lost their lives over it as well. Thoughts with all those who have been affected

[Kiwifruit]

A week has passed  now. Some people have not yet had contact with emergency services. I think we still have a couple of thousand people unaccounted for. Let's hope they are just isolated at their homes. Many still have no power. The looters seem in fine form though........59 arrested !! The locals have unlocked the gun safes they are going to defend their sodden silt covered property from these criminals. They have had enough.
Watch this space 

[grog]

Just shoot the scum. Was looking at getting pepper spray to have here at home. OK in WA, rest of Oz, 14 yr jail, min 5 yrs to possess or use. WTF. Wasp spray is legal, can go 6 metres, will get a couple of cans.

[Almost]

Do the landslides have anything to do with deforestation or was it just too much persistent heavy downpours?
Anyway I hope things get back normal for you soon. 

[Kiwifruit]

We had two areas that got really hammered. Aucklands problem is to much infill housing where sections are subdivided and more homes built. This covers the land in hard surfaces and the storm water system cannot cope even less so when councils don't clear drains anymore or sweep the gutters. Building in dumb places does not help, top of cliffs then perch a swimming pool and water tanks even closer to the edge. Give it a good dowsing till the ground is sodden then gravity does the rest.
In the Hawkes Bay forestry slash is getting much of the blame. Anything left behind after the big logs have gone washes down rivers blocks up against bridges and the force of the water pushes the bridges away. That happens after the stop banks have been breached and everywhere is flooded. I have never seen flooding like it.
As usual the greenies tell us it's because of man made climate change. You can make up your own mind on that one.

[GSXKING]

I agree looters shot on sight ⚰️⚰️⚰️

Many people unaccounted for as there's no mobile coverage due to tower damage
Roll on Elon Musk's satellite internet