Auckland hit by flooding again! How can business owners prepare to respond effectively to major disasters?

Auckland and other parts of the North Island have recently been hit by severe downpours again. Auckland entered another state of emergency on 9 May, with an orange warning issued to the public. Most parts of Auckland received more than 60 mm of rain over 12 hours, while Henderson recorded a record-breaking 103 mm.

Rainfall in Auckland on 9 May between 6h in the morning and 6h in the evening 

(Source: Auckland Council)

New Zealand has experienced frequent natural disasters this year. In January, the North Island suffered what was described as its “worst-ever climate disaster”, affecting 1,600,000 people, killing 4 and causing nearly NZ$500,000,000 in direct economic losses. Flooding caused landslides and land subsidence, brought Auckland Airport to a standstill and disrupted aircraft arrivals and departures. Just weeks later, Cyclone Gabrielle struck, killing 11 people, destroying numerous homes and displacing tens of thousands.

Gabrielle The cyclone left many Auckland homes uninhabitable

Many businesses also suffered heavy losses. Emergencies such as flooded premises, damaged equipment, disrupted supply chains and lost customer records caused substantial harm. In such circumstances, businesses need comprehensive emergency plans to respond appropriately from the outset.

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This raises the question: how should we prepare for such frequent natural disasters? And how can we minimise losses after disaster strikes?

Experts advise that business owners need a practical emergency plan tailored to their circumstances. Businesses face different risks depending on the nature of their operations and the size of their workforce, making it crucial to develop an emergency plan suited to each business.

Now there is an opportunity! As an official partner in Auckland Council's Business Resilience and Continuity Programme, the EMA Chinese Business Centre (EMA CBC) will host a series of seminars addressing the emergency preparedness challenges businesses currently face. The first online seminar will be held live on Zoom on 18 May at 2h in the afternoon, covering:

• What risks might businesses face during an emergency?
• How can small and medium-sized businesses develop practical business emergency plans?
• How can businesses design emergency drills?
• What emergency plans and real-time information support systems does Auckland Council have?