Video: Police Commissioner says possibility that cyclone fatalities could increase, rejects “secret morgue” speculation
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster with Eastern District Commander Superintendent Jeanette Park spoke to media at the Group Emergency Coordination Centre in Hastings.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has acknowledged the possibility there could be more fatalities from Cyclone Gabrielle, but could not say if this number will increase significantly.
However, he rejected online speculation that there is a secret mortuary with many bodies In Hawke’s Bay.
Coster was in Hawke’s Bay earlier today to view the devastation and also visited the Hawke’s Bay Group Emergency Coordination Centre in Hastings. He confirmed that the number of deaths in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti earlier today stood at five, with four from Hawke’s Bay.
Since he spoke to media, police have reported that they are investigating a death in Puketapu, near Napier, after a person was believed to have been caught in flood water.
“Obviously there is always the possibility that we will find more people who have suffered in this situation. It is not the case that we are able to say now that there is a significantly larger number than we already know,” said Coster.
“We have to be prepared for the possibility, but it will take time to work through the worst affected locations, but right now the death toll stands at seven.”
Regarding online conjecture of a secret morgue housing many more deceased, Coster says this is not true.
“As soon as we receive information about someone who has died then we will communicate that once we have spoken to next of kin.”
“Early on to the response to this situation, there was a makeshift mortuary established as a contingency for the possibility that it might be required. And of course with access being challenging, we just did not know what the situation would be.”
“We have much work to do in terms of the homes that have been impacted the worst and our colleagues at FENZ (Fire and Emergency NZ) will take responsibility for clearing addresses where there is silt and everything else. If people are found, we will let the media know, but obviously we will let family know first.”
Coster says police resources across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti have been bolstered with an additional 100 police officers, with a particular focus on trying to reunite missing people with their families.
“We have had roughly four and a half thousand people reported uncontactable and we have had about 900 people report themselves as okay.”
“We are really encouraging family who have made contact with their loved ones to let us know. We have about 80 staff trying to reconcile people who are uncontactable with those who have been found.”
With regard to any reports of looting, Coster says a strong focus is on law and order and security around the communities that have been badly affected.
“We have one hundred additional staff on the ground across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti. We also have the eagle helicopter available in the region. We will be dealing very swiftly with anyone who plays up in that way.
The District Commander for the Police Eastern District, Superintendent Jeanette Park, who was with the Commissioner, said there had been times where frustrated locals confronted police.
She said it was an “incredibly distressing time for people” especially with no power and lack of communications.
“It puts extra pressure on them and sometimes it can play out because they are angry and rightly so because it is hard for them. We are balancing that, and it is about taking a soft approach to people to work with them. Our people really understand that” said Park.
Coster says there were also heart-warming stories from the communities and great courage shown by police.
Park says there was no doubt the disaster has had an impact on police.
“We have had several staff members who have lost everything. The majority of those who can come back, have come back in. They want to come back in be part of what is going on because they are part of the community They live in the community and they know their people in the community and they care about them.”
