Slips, house damage in Karekare caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
A community led advocacy group is to be established for a cyclone affected area on Auckland's west coast.
The group will be used to focus repair and clean up efforts by council and residents in Karekare, which is still recovering after Cyclone Gabrielle.
Waitakere ward councillor Shane Henderson said while the work was being finished, only residents would be allowed access to the coastal settlement.
"Lot of work to do there, kind of clear slips still, before we can kind of safety reopen back up to the wider public," he said.
Henderson said West Coast communities were resilient, but had been through a lot over the past few months.
He said residents were prepping for the worst ahead of forecast heavy wind and rain.
"Whenever we have heavy rains, or anything like that forecast, people are really on edge and alert. I think that sort of trauma is going to carry with them for a long time," he said.
