A casual chat about how to connect communication blackspots around Tairāwhiti has led to an ingenious system that will work when all else fails. It all started when Tairāwhiti went dark during Cyclone Gabrielle – all communications were cut off. Cell towers and data networks went offline and there was no Wi-Fi or phone coverage.

A small delegation from the Cook Islands emergency management team are heading out of the region buoyed by what they hope they can introduce to their country after visiting Tairāwhiti Civil Defence.

Woody debris in rivers and on our beaches is an all-too-familiar sight following heavy rain events. While it's not something we welcome, it's now an expected consequence of nature's forces.