Houses submerged by the Ngaruroro River in Hawke's Bay in mid-February 2023. Photo: Supplied / Dawson Bliss
Two years after Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke's Bay councils have published a map revealing the full extent of the flooding across the region.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council said the map would be used for flood mitigation measures and to check where more in-depth modelling was needed.
A spokesperson said it was making the information public at the request of residents, who wanted to know the extent of the flooding in February 2023 "for their own decision-making".
The map - based on information from photographs, videos, satellite photos, local council building inspection information and ground contours - did not necessarily reflect the extent of the damage caused to a property during Cyclone Gabrielle, she said.
The information would be recorded on LIM reports (as required by law) but it was not possible to say whether it will affect insurance premiums, the council said.
"In some areas the return period of the flow in the river during Cyclone Gabrielle was in the order of 1:300 years to over 1:1000 years.
"The insurance industry, in contrast, generally use flood hazard maps derived from a modelled event such as 1:100 year flood to determine the risk profile."
The council warned against relying on the map as the sole basis for any decision in relation to potential risk, urging people to seek their own independent advice as to the potential implications for a specific property.
Cyclone Gabrielle, which devastated parts of the North Island, caused total damage of NZ$14.5 billion, the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere and the deadliest weather event for New Zealand overall.
In Hawke's Bay, eight people died, 9000 people were evacuated or fled their homes, and 83 buildings were red-stickered.
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