Hipaua Thermal Area by Waihi Village (north east of Turangi)

There is a large thermal area above Waihi Village that poses a threat of landslide. Sometimes called the “steaming hills”, in the past landslides have caused major damage and loss of life. The last slip was around 1905. Risk factors include earthquakes, heavy rain activity and changes to the geology which indicate slippage or other warning signs.


UPDATE 2: 5pm

Quote from Shamus Howard, local Emergency Management Controller…

“We have put a local civil defence declaration in place for the protection of people. Although the village is now clear of people the potential for people to go back in is high, so under the powers of declaration we can keep people safely out of the area. Previously unwell persons are being accommodated in Turangi, all other people are with family and friends.”

Controller Howard said “we also thought it prudent to close SH 41 overnight and will reassess the situation in the morning once we have more information on any ground movement. We are also keeping an eye on the weather and will monitor closely overnight.”


Key points:

• Ÿ Local declaration made by Mayor Rick Cooper at 4.20 pm Monday 29th June 2009.
• Ÿ Waihi Village has been voluntarily self evacuated. Waihi village is CLOSED.
• Ÿ State Highway 41 will close tonight between Tokaanu and Pukawa (on the Western Bays).

Further to meeting at 2.30 we have successfully and voluntarily evacuated Waihi village completely by 4.30 pm.

We continued to assess the risks in the immediate area and the issues that may occur overnight and we have declared a local stage of emergency under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act. Local only for the Turangi-Tongariro area.


Road closures:
State highway 41 to be closed tonight.

• Ÿ There is some risk to people travelling on the road, not as much of a worry as people in the village but still a vehicle is in a critical zone for 10 – 15 seconds and there is some risk.
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• Ÿ We now feel it prudent to close the road overnight. We will reassess in the morning.
• Ÿ The road is still open at this time (5pm) and we are conscious that people may want to get home.
• Ÿ It will close later tonight between Pukawa and Tokaanu and Waihi village will be closed. Emergency services will still have access.
• Ÿ There will be signs advising people of the road closures.
• Ÿ Persons on the Omori Kuratau side working in Turangi will need to make provision to travel via the northern route.

 

• Ÿ The self evacuation was made voluntarily. We have undertaken that we will protect their homes and possessions.
• Ÿ At this stage we may still allow access during daylight hours to deal with any pressing issues but this will be assessed in the morning.
• Ÿ We are still expecting that people will stay out of the area until at least Friday when further assessment will be made.

We would appreciate your help getting the news out to residents as soon as possible to give them a heads up about the road closure.

We will be updating the media again at around 10am Tuesday (30 June) morning.

Notes from earlier in the day

• Ÿ We are working with residents who are voicing their concern.
• Ÿ The emergency management team have undertaken investigations. Members of the team flew over the area around 11am.
• Ÿ The area is showing signs of some minor damage, but nothing significant.
• Ÿ There are a number of fault lines in the area. The swarm of earthquakes that have been experienced are not unusual although this is the first time in around 10 – 15 years that we have had quakes of a magnitude above 4.1.
• Ÿ We will be accessing monitoring pegs which are in pace on the hillside to ascertain if there is movement and will also look at installing real time monitoring equipment.
• Ÿ Most of those leaving are going to stay with family or friends, however Council and the Emergency Management Team are able to provide accommodation if required.
• Ÿ Waihi residents are reporting anecdotally that birdlife is silent and black swans have moved from their usual area.
• Ÿ There are instances where streams have dried up and in other places streams have started to flow where there were none before.
• Ÿ The waterfall in Waihi village has moved quite significantly, however we don’t believe this is due to the rain but may have another cause.
• Ÿ We would be very concerned if one of the major streams in the main thermal area stopped flowing as this may indicate there is water being diverted underground or there is a major blockage that may break and cause a deluge to head downstream.