The Auckland Council is pleading with its residents to be considerate and patient after council officers were subject to abuse during the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle.
Auckland Council's director of regulatory services Craig Hobbs said his council officers have encountered abuse over the past two-and-a-half weeks which he described as "isolated incidents" that are "enough to be of concern".
"I understand this is a highly stressful and distressing time for people and the impacts are very personal, and I'm extremely sympathetic to everyone impacted," Hobbs said.
He said Cyclone Gabrielle delivered conditions which were "unprecedented" and added staff cannot be everywhere at once.
"They are having to prioritise where they go, what they respond to based on safety and risk assessment."
Hobbs is asking residents devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle to be "considerate of people in these extraordinary times".
"They're doing a job to the best of their ability and they are there to help all Aucklanders and really there is no excuse for abuse."
