Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand and parts of Vanuatu in February 2023. Image courtesy NASA/Aqua-MODIS.
Toitū Te Whenua LINZ continues to provide essential services for government and private-sector clients in the wake of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand and parts of Vanuatu in February 2023. According to some sources, it is the costliest cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere, with the damage bill already reaching about $12 billion.
In a statement posted on the LINZ website, the agency says that “All our services, including Landonline, are operating during the national state of emergency activated in response to the cyclone”.
“We are working closely with colleagues across Government to support communities throughout New Zealand affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.”
LINZ says that it recognises that “Due to travel issues and other significant disruptions in areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle some practitioners may be unable to meet with new or existing clients in person to take conveyancing instructions.
“In these situations, and where practicable, practitioners may follow the guidance set out in the Authority and Identity Requirements and Electronic Signing of Documents Interim Guideline 2020.
“Practitioners should retain a file note recording what other reasonable steps were taken to verify the identity of the client.”
The agency says that it is “providing geospatial support to response agencies via the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), including the coordination of satellite and aerial imagery and LiDAR data”.
“Updated geospatial data, such as satellite data and aerial imagery will be released on the LINZ Data Service and/or LINZ Basemaps as it becomes available.”
