Although the earthquake swarm didn't do enough damage to trigger a Civil Defence emergency, the council's Civil Defence controller has been on the ground to support communications and respond.

Kawerau District Council communications manager Tania Humberstone says council was also assisted and supported with communications by Bay of Plenty Emergency Management throughout the weekend and has been in constant communication with GNS Science Te Pū Ao.

Damage to council assets appears to have been restricted to walkways.

'Our duty supervisor, Sacha Matenga, was on the ground throughout the weekend checking council assets, buildings and infrastructure, particularly the water systems. Those assessments resulted in a walking track being closed up to Monika Lanham Reserve due to damage to steps leading up to the top. Repair work will be carried out this week to fix and seal the cracks on the steps at the lower level.”

In addition, external checks were completed of the council's three water reservoirs.

Tania says these reservoirs were due for a five-yearly structural review this year, which will be escalated following this swarm.

'The structural assessment entails divers going into the tanks to check the structural integrity. Council had planned in the Long Term Plan 2021-2031 to replace one of the reservoirs in the 2026/2027 year.”

Māori Investments Limited (MIL), which manages access to Mount Putauaki, advised council on Monday that it was closing the hikoi steps off Waterhouse Street, near their headquarters due to safety concerns.

Permits to access Tarawera Falls have also been temporarily suspended due to concerns with the road access and potential slips on the walkway.

The council has been communicating with MIL and facilitating to organise access for GNS staff to Putauaki to assess any damage done to the mountain.

'We understand that what appears to be a crack, may be the track of a large boulder that has rolled down and this will become clearer once further investigations are known.”

Most council facilities were closed over the weekend, including the library, which had books dislodged from the shelves, and the Maurie Kjar Pools as a safety precaution.

GNS says that there are no signs of geothermal or volcanic unrest in Kawerau.

-Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.