Latest news with #Turangi
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Residents breathe sign of relief as Tauranga-Taupō River threat passes
Warwick Horton travelled to his home after being told all hell might break loose. Photo: RNZ/Dan Jones Authorities had got it "fairly right" over a possible threat to homes near the Tauranga-Taupō River north of Tūrangi, a resident says. People living near the river that came close to bursting its banks this morning were unlikely to have to leave their homes, authorities said by mid-morning. Residents had been told to prepare to evacuate after wild weather lashed much of the North Island overnight, sending the river near the settlement of Oruatua into flood. A tanker travels over the river this morning. Photo: RNZ/Dan Jones The Tauranga-Taupō River had likely peaked by 9am and was expected to fall without breaching its banks, Taupō District emergency management said. "There is no further significant rain in the 24-hour forecast but as always people should check the forecast, exercise caution around rivers and stay out of flooded areas," the agency said. "Civil Defence centres have been set up in Tūrangi and Taupō if needed but these will be stood down as the day progresses." There are about 70 properties at the Tauranga-Taupō settlement, but most were holiday homes with only about 20 properties occupied and about 35 residents in total. Some of them told RNZ they were ready to leave their homes - and some of their neighbours had - but they were glad to stay put. Mark and Karen had been told to prepare to leave their home. Photo: RNZ/Dan Jones Mark and Karen had been out checking on the river levels during the morning, and authorities had told them to prepare to leave. "Police have been round this morning knocking on doors, just saying, you know, 'be ready, do you need help or anything?'," said Mark. "Everyone's just, hurry up and wait, and hopefully it doesn't get any worse." Cody was not too concerned about the flooding. Photo: RNZ/Dan Jones Another resident, Cody had parked up at a river-watching spot and said it was good to see the water going down. The rain overnight was "pretty heavy" but he was not too worried about flooding. "That's what insurances are for, eh?" he said. Warwick Horton told RNZ he'd lived in the area a long time and had seen much worse flooding, but it was good authorities had been proactively warning people they may need to leave. He had been in Papamoa overnight but drove back home on Thursday morning after he woke up and heard that "all hell was going to break loose down here". Horton said the regional council, Environment Waikato had done a lot of flood protection work in the area in the last decade - and it seemed to have worked. "They've lifted this floodbank here, and done a lot of wooden walls and stuff," he said. "You put faith in them that they get it right, they have computer modelling and stuff, and it looks as if they've got it fairly right." Photo: RNZ/Dan Jones
RNZ News
24-05-2025
- RNZ News
Firefighters called to house fire in Turangi
There were no reports of injuries and all people were accounted for. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Fire investigators are looking into the cause of a blaze at a three-bedroom home in the central North Island overnight. Fire and Emergency said it received multiple calls to the Turangi property, which firefighters responded to around 12.30am Sunday. FENZ northern shift manager Gareth Lewis said the house was well-alight when firefighters arrived, with five fire trucks and crews working to extinguish the flames. He said there were no reports of injuries and all people were accounted for. Lewis said there was no indication the fire was suspicious, but an fire investigator would be looking into it.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
$200m Set Aside For Crown Stake In New Gas Fields
Hon Shane Jones Minister for Resources The coalition Government is taking action on New Zealand's declining natural gas reserves and has set aside a tagged contingency of $200 million over four years for coinvestment in new gas fields, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The structure of investments is still being worked through, but this signals a willingness, subject to Cabinet consideration, for the Crown to take a commercial stake of up to 10-15 per cent in new gas field developments that feed the domestic market to address sovereign risk. 'Natural gas will continue to be critical in delivering secure and affordable energy for New Zealanders for at least the next 20 years. We are already feeling the pain of constrained supply,' Mr Jones says. 'We are focused on growing the New Zealand economy, creating jobs and increasing prosperity and resilience. The Government is not prepared to sit on the sidelines and watch our industrial and manufacturing dwindle because of energy security concerns. 'Developing a new offshore gas field from exploration to production can carry a billion-dollar price tag and projects of this scale are likely to need offshore investment. We have demonstrated potential for significant gas development and while investors are interested, we need to show their commitment will not be a wasted exercise. 'Talk is cheap but having skin in the game as a cornerstone investor in production demonstrates our own commitment to meeting our future gas needs. We are looking to take a stake in the development of the next Pohokura, Kupe, Mangahewa or Turangi to accelerate the investment needed to support our energy system. 'If we really want to address the current reality that we rely on imported coal, not domestic gas, to get through winter we must be prepared to stand alongside our petroleum sector as a co-investor. I say to my colleagues across the political spectrum, for the sake of energy affordability and security, be pragmatic about the role of natural gas, now and in the coming decades.'
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Around the motu: Jesse Archer in Taupo
Lake levels are dangerously low along the eastern side of Lake Taupo, Turangi airfield becomes the new base for rescue helicopter operations, there is an ongoing war on signs in Turangi, and Tokaanu Thermal Pools are set to reopen soon. Jesse Archer is a community broadcaster at Lake FM 89.6 Taupo. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
