4 lessons NZ should take from another summer of weather disasters
After a series of extreme weather events over the past month, NZ has been reminded that disasters aren’t just acts of nature.


After a series of extreme weather events over the past month, NZ has been reminded that disasters aren’t just acts of nature. Keep Reading
Experts say the bill for disasters will only continue to rise unless we make changes. Keep Reading
The Govt proclaimed last year the era of automatic property buyouts is over – now recent flooding and slips put that promise to the test. Keep Reading
After the fatal landslides at Mount Maunganui, attention has focused on recent tree removal from Mauao. But landslides rarely have simple causes. Keep Reading
Today from The Detail: Extreme weather may be the trigger for deadly and devastating slash, but the lines on who is responsible for prevention and clean-up are blurred. Keep Reading
Matthew Tukaki Posted On January 25, 2026 Keep Reading
The search for bodies at the foot of Mount Maunganui is still going on, but the mood has clearly shifted. Keep Reading
Tragic slips in the Bay of Plenty highlight how geology, heavy rainfall and climate change are combining to amplify a largely hidden risk. Keep Reading
A disaster expert says there are sometimes warning signs of a landslide to look out for during heavy rain events. Keep Reading
Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper says it could take weeks to fix a massive slip blocking the road to Ōakura. Keep Reading
Comment from the University of Auckland: Without real change, each recovery is just setting the stage for the next disaster Keep Reading
Total losses from natural catastrophes were lower than the 10-year average at $388b in 2025, and down from $637b in 2024. Keep Reading
New data shows New Zealanders are spending far more time under States of Emergency than a decade ago, driven by increasingly frequent storms and fires. Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz says regions must be better prepared, drawing on her town's experience after Cyclone Gabrielle.. Gisborne Mayor Stoltz spoke to Lauren Crimp. Keep Reading
"Those events are happening more and more and communities are paying for it emotionally, but mostly financially," Rehette Stoltz says. Keep Reading
The report also found that over the coming decades, further climate change would "stack the odds in favour of" more dangerous fire weather. Keep Reading
Record rainfall caused widespread damage across the district, the worst in 150 years, after it was hit by floods twice in as many weeks during June and July. Keep Reading
Extreme weather has killed nearly 1,000 people across southern and south-eastern Asia as cyclones turbocharged rain systems across the region Keep Reading
The inquiry is essential to establish accountability, and to ensure New Zealand’s child protection framework meets international standards of care and vigilance. Keep Reading
Explainer - Weather forecasters say the last couple weeks haven't been normal, "even by spring's standards". But why? Keep Reading
Jonathan Reckford shares insights from his 20 years as CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. He reflects on how the Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina forced the nonprofit to expand rapidly. Keep Reading
It’s clear – climate change is supercharging the world’s wildfires in unpredictable and devastating ways. Keep Reading
The Government promised to lay out who will pay for climate change adaptation, but the national framework released Thursday leaves that question unanswered. Keep Reading
For many Pacific Island nations, climate change isn’t a distant threat or an abstract statistic. Keep Reading
Is your community prepared for natural disasters? Learn actionable steps you can take now that will speed recovery efforts and improve outcomes after disasters strike. Keep Reading
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans it's worth considering how common journalism techniques led to outrageous falsehoods about Black residents. Keep Reading
The US Geological Survey believed yesterday's would potentially tie with the sixth largest earthquake recorded, which happened in Chile in 2010, but said it needs more data to verify that. Keep Reading
Collected articles from New Zealand and around the world on natural hazards, emergencies and preparedness Keep Reading

