{"id":282803,"date":"2026-02-13T21:26:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/282803\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T21:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:26:08","slug":"high-and-very-high-risk-the-auckland-suburbs-most-vulnerable-to-landslides","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/282803\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018High and very-high risk\u2019: The Auckland suburbs most vulnerable to landslides"},"content":{"rendered":"

For example 103 landslides were reported in the region after the January 15-24 storms this year.<\/p>\n

While the study\u2019s mapping has been incorporated into future land use planning<\/a>, it\u2019s too late for some areas, where houses and communities are already built in high-risk landslide areas.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn aerial view of landslide damage in Muriwai following Cyclone Gabrielle, which is discussed in the new report. Photo \/ Auckland Council report<\/p>\n

Some of these areas are Beach Haven, hilly parts of Devonport and Mt Eden and potentially other volcanic cones, as well as land around Warkworth, Wellsford and Snells Beach.<\/p>\n

Auckland Council chief engineer Ross Roberts told the Herald the study will be fundamental to efforts to manage future landslide risk in the city.<\/p>\n

But \u201cin many cases the risk is already \u2018locked-in\u2019 because of past decisions\u201d he said of homes that were built before slip risk was recognised in their areas.<\/p>\n

The study\u2019s detailed information and mapping \u2013 delivered to council last May – is available via council\u2019s GeoMaps tool, and also via Land Information Memorandums, also known as LIM reports.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn in-depth Auckland Council report into landslide risks has revealed nearly 20% of the region is at \u201chigh\u201d or \u201cvery high\u201d risk of being impacted by landslides. Photo \/ Auckland Council report<\/p>\n

Roberts also said council wants to invest in more research and mapping – including potential collaboration with the University of Auckland – because the frequency and severity of high-risk storms is expected to increase.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re developing our work programme and budgets for the next 10 years [with] enhancements in mind,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe council report shows damage already caused by landslides near dwellings and suggests there will be more to come in future. Photo \/ Auckland Council report<\/p>\n

\u201cSusceptible to rock fall and toppling\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of the study, the Auckland region was split into the 11 colour-coded sub-regions seen below.<\/p>\n

The area dubbed the Northland Allochthon \u2013 which includes Wellsford, Snells Beach and Warkworth \u2013 was identified as having significant landslide risk. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s because of both natural slope failure and cut slope failure, \u201clarge-scale slow moving natural landslides\u201d and slips driven by groundwater.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Auckland Region was divided into 11 colour coded sub-regions for the study. Photo \/ Auckland Council report<\/p>\n

The presence of excess water in the clay-rich slopes \u201creadily lubricate the movement of landslides\u201d the report says.<\/p>\n

The Southern Landslide Zone \u2013 east of Manukau \u2013 is described as susceptible to landslides after intense rainfall.<\/p>\n

\"SomeSome of these Shore Rd, Remuera homes were red-stickered after extensive flooding and damage in the Auckland region in early 2023. Photo \/ Brett Phibbs<\/p>\n

Islands in the Hauraki Gulf \u2013 Great Barrier and Little Barrier Islands are also prone to localised slips during heavy rainfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cLarge-scale landslides can also occur within the Hauraki Gulf Islands\u201d it says. <\/p>\n

By contrast, the composition of other islands such as Waiheke, Kawau, Tiritiri Matangi, Rakino and Motutapu makes them \u201cextremely strong to strong when weathered\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"IslandsIslands on the Hauraki Gulf – including Great Barrier Island – have been identified as very prone to landslides. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n

The study says the Wait\u0101kere Ranges too are \u201cgenerally competent and stable\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Auckland Volcanic Field \u2013 comprising around 50 cones, including the popular recreation areas of Mt Eden and One Tree Hill \u2013 has some slopes \u201csusceptible to rock fall and toppling\u201d.<\/p>\n

Some of the land most at risk of slips and their impacts are the coastal areas around the East Coast Bays and overlooking the inner Waitemat\u0101 Harbour.<\/p>\n

Some land failures \u201ccan be exacerbated by earthworks associated with development for infrastructure and subdivisions\u201d the report says.<\/p>\n

Landslides are Auckland region\u2019s \u201cmost significant natural hazards\u201d<\/p>\n

The study\u2019s authors wrote the research could be used to identify areas of the city where \u201ccaution should be applied\u201d, and where land should be assessed further.<\/p>\n

Their maps highlight areas where landslides are more, and less, likely.<\/p>\n

\"LandslidesLandslides threaten homes on Colwill Rd, Massey, in early 2023. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n

Two classes of landslides were mapped:<\/p>\n

smaller scale and shallow, andlarger scale events that \u201ccan cause damage across a wider area, often over a longer period\u201d.<\/p>\n

The latter could be thousands, or hundreds of thousands of square metres in area.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe two darkest shades of grey highlight areas where the risk is “very high” or “high”. Photo \/ Auckland Council report<\/p>\n

They only show areas where landslides could be caused by storms and flooding, not those triggered by earthquakes.<\/p>\n

The 158-page study called landslides \u201cNew Zealand\u2019s – and Auckland\u2019s – most significant natural hazards\u201d.<\/p>\n

It said Auckland Council seeks to \u201cproactively manage the risk from natural hazards\u201d and work on the region\u2019s resilience.<\/p>\n

\"RoadsRoads are vulnerable to landslides, as this photo of damage to the Manukau Heads Rd shows. Photo \/ Auckland Council report<\/p>\n

\u201cAs experienced in the 2023 storm events, landslides present a life safety risk, adversely affect property and infrastructure, and may damage or destroy cultural and environmental sites\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Auckland region experienced more than 50,000 landslides during and in the aftermath of the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"SixSix people lost their lives after last month’s slip at Mt Maunganui, and two more in a second landslide in nearby P\u0101p\u0101moa. Photo \/ Jason Dorday<\/p>\n

The January 15-24 storms this year unleashed the deadly landslides that killed eight people in the Bay of Plenty; six holidaymakers at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park <\/a>and a woman and her grandson when their house was struck by another slip at Welcome Bay.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of the Mt Maunganui tragedy, prominent scientist Professor James Renwick told the Herald land use needs to be urgently reviewed<\/a> in slip-risk areas around the country.<\/p>\n

That could include difficult discussions around moving whole communities if they are in harm\u2019s way, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn most cases, the best way to manage the risk from landslide is to avoid building in areas of higher risk,\u201d the Auckland study\u2019s executive summary said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the risk can be engineered out in some cases, doing this is costly and not always effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neil Reid<\/a> is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 34 years of newsroom experience.<\/p>\n

Sign up to The Daily H<\/a>, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For example 103 landslides were reported in the region after the January 15-24 storms this year. While the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":282804,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3225,15408,95,51,682,53499,2959,31869,35104,3025,111,43,139,69,381,1560,7192,21047,4248,223,61,303,157959,36008],"class_list":["post-282803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-according","tag-almost","tag-and","tag-auckland","tag-being","tag-comprehensive","tag-high","tag-impacted","tag-landslides","tag-most","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-region","tag-report","tag-risk","tag-suburbs","tag-technical","tag-the","tag-to","tag-very","tag-veryhigh","tag-vulnerable"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282803\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/282804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}