An update from Rāhui Katene, MP for Te Tai Tonga

An update from Rāhui Katene, MP for Te Tai Tonga

Christchurch Earthquake State Of Emergency

Ka mihi mamao ki a rātou mā kua ngau e te ringa kaha o aituā. Nei taku tino mihi aroha ki a koutou, me te iwi kua waiho atu nei, e pani nei.

Many of our whānau are unable to receive this pānui. If you are able to let others know the following information, please pass it on.

The State of Emergency is still in place and will remain for some time to come.

EMERGENCY HOTLINE

■For government assistance call 0800 77 99 97

■For emergency assistance 111 is operating, but there have been delays.

PLACES TO STAY

Near Christchurch

■TUAHIWI MARAE near Kaiapoi

■WAIREWA MARAE in Little River

■TAKAHANGA MARAE, Kaikoura

■WAIKAWA MARAE, Picton

■WHAKATU MARAE, Nelson

■ARAITEURU MARAE, Dunedin

■PUKETERAKI MARAE, Dunedin

■WAIHAO MARAE, Waimate

North Island

■PIPITEA MARAE, Wellington

■TE KOHANGA REO NATIONAL TRUST, Wellington

■TAKAPUWAHIA MARAE, Porirua

WELFARE CENTRES IN CHRISTCHURCH OPEN TONIGHT

There are only two welfare centres in town that are open tonight. The rest are full to capacity. The open welfare centres in town are:

■COWLES STADIUM, Pages Road

■PIONEER STADIUM, Spreydon

We encourage you to go to Tuahiwi Marae and Wairewa Marae if you can.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The supermarkets in Hornby and Riccarton are open tonight, and they should all be open tomorrow. Food supplies are getting through.

Petrol supplies are coming into Christchurch. Petrol stations on the west side of the city are all open. Others are opening as they are cleared by safety inspectors.

The WINZ offices in Rangiora, Hornby and Ashburton are open. WINZ has emergency grants available for whanau who want to leave, or need food.

Banks are open in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Papanui, Hornby and Riccarton.

Rubbish collection may not be frequent, but is meant to continue. If they do not come, burn paper rubbish, use plastics to collect water, and bury perishables.

If you cant boil drinking water, use 5 drops of bleach per litre of water.

Place a plastic bag in your wharepaku to collect tutae, then bury it. Mimi in the garden.

Maintain personal hygiene. This is quite hard to do with all the dust in the air. Use minimal water.

TE TAI TONGA RESPONSE

We have been busy door knocking checking that whānau are alright; taking food, water and cooking gas to whānau; transporting whānau to the airport, marae welfare centres and whānau/friends homes; and shovelling mud from driveways. People have been using our phones to ring their loved ones outside Christchurch.

We have found whānau without power, water, kai and petrol. They had nowhere to go and no means of transportation. They have now been rehoused at a local marae.

 We have met with Ngāi Tahu, TPK, He Oranga Pounamu , Minister Pita Sharples, Māori Wardens and others to launch a coordinated response from Māori agencies, providers and iwi.

Our Wellington and Invercargill offices have been busy coordinating donations, ringing constituents around Christchurch and assisting relief efforts in those areas.

If you and/or your whānau need help please ring us on 0800 TETAITONGA (838248). Your calls will be answered by our Invercargill and Wellington offices. They are in constant contact with us. If you cannot contact your whānau in Christchurch let us know. We can go visit them.

We know getting information out to our whānau in Christchurch is important, and we are not able to get pānui out as often as we would like. But we encourage whānau in Christchurch to listen to the radio. Share information with your neighbours, whānau and friends. Whanau outside of Christchurch are also anxious to know how their family members are.

We are aware that whānau are under a huge amount of stress and we have been working closely with Women’s Refuge, and counselling services.

GENERAL RESPONSE

Thank you to the marae throughout the motu who have opened their doors to whānau.

A big thank you to everyone who has donated clothes, blankets, toys and kai. This is very much appreciated by whānau in Christchurch. Many whānau are unable to get into their homes and cannot retrieve these items. We are aware of a huge response in Te Upoko o Te Ika, and your donations arrive tomorrow.

Ngā manaakitanga ki runga ki a tātou katoa. May God bless us all

Rāhui

 
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