Auckland tornado: Where to get help, how to claim insurance, and food safety tips

Monday, 21 June 2021

More than 1200 properties have been affected by a tornado that ripped through south Auckland on Saturday, with the Government giving $100,000 towards a relief fund for impacted communities.

One man died, and another two people were injured, while others have had to access emergency accommodation because their homes were left uninhabitable.

Auckland Emergency Management was helping out with the massive clean-up of suburbs such as Papatoetoe on Monday with inspectors having already visited the homes worst affected.

Here’s what you need to know about where to go for help if you were affected by the tornado, how to make an insurance claim or apply for a Civil Defence payment, how to donate and more.

**READ MORE:

* Auckland tornado: $41k raised for killed worker's family, Papatoetoe clean-up continues

* Gone in 30 seconds: Cleanup continues after Auckland tornado tears through homes

* Auckland tornado: 80 houses still with no power and welfare centre closes

* Auckland mayor Phil Goff says cost of tornado damage expected to be tens of millions of dollars

**

Where to go for help

People affected by the tornado seeking assistance can visit the Civil Defence Welfare Hub that has been set up at Allan Brewster Leisure Centre at 7 Tavern Lane in Papatoetoe. The hub is open from 9am until 7pm.

Those who are unable to seek assistance in person can phone Auckland Emergency Management on 0800 22 22 00.

The Ministry of Social Development is providing Civil Defence payments for those most affected by the incident.

Acceptance will not depend on income or assets a person may have.

Funds from this payment can be used for emergency food, clothing or bedding, accommodation costs if evacuation is necessary, loss of income due to being unable to work, or payment if you have taken in others evacuated as a result of the tornado.

To apply, phone Work and Income on 0800 752 102.

People in need of food can contact food banks in Auckland. Contact information for a range of food banks can be found here.

How to make an insurance claim

The Insurance Council of New Zealand has been on site at the information hub to provide advice on how to claim insurance for damage caused by the tornado.

The council expects to know the cost of damages in four to six weeks, as insurance companies prioritise “supporting customers” first.

“The extent of the damage is still being assessed, so we are unsure on figures,” a spokeswoman said.

For a smooth process, the council suggests:

• Making the home safe but not doing any non-essential repairs

• Getting essential services repaired but keep invoices

• Taking photos of damage and not throwing any items away before speaking to insurance provider.

Insurance may cover food spoilage as a result of power outages and may also cover the cost of temporary accommodation if the home is unsafe to stay in.

People can make an insurance claim by contacting their insurance provider either by phone or start the process online.

Food safety

Auckland Council Emergency Management said people should take care with potentially spoiled foods from their fridge or freezer to avoid food poisoning.

“After more than two days without power, highly perishable foods may not be safe to eat.”

Unsafe food puts people at risk of infections such as salmonella.

Tips for managing food include:

• Throwing out any already contaminated food, so it doesn’t ruin other food

• Dispose of any food that has thawed in the freezer and been room temperature for longer than 2 hours

• Don’t refreeze already defrosted food – but if it still has ice crystals, it is safe to refreeze

• Don’t feed unsafe foods to pets

• If water is needing to be boiled for human consumption, also boil it for pets.

Rubbish collection

Normal waste collections are to resume – but there will be a focus on cleaning up streets affected by the tornado.

Auckland Emergency Management duty controller Parul Sood said: “Our waste contractors have been out over the weekend dealing with debris and large items that could cause hazards or further damage.

“Teams will be in the area tomorrow with large volume waste collection to assist with the clean-up.”

Where to donate

A Givealittle page has been set up to the support the family of Janesh Prasad, the man who died in the tornado.

More than $40,000 has been raised for Prasad’s wife and two children so far.

You can also donate to your local food bank.