Lusi batters Auckland beaches

Posted on by

Emergency services are warning people to stay away from Auckland's northern beaches where homes are threatened as high tide peaks and ex-Cyclone Lusi causes havoc.

Lusi hit Northland on Friday night, unleashing 91mm of rain near Whangarei over 27 hours and wind gusts of 139km/h at Cape Reinga.

A storm surge damaged a restaurant on Paihia's wharf and a seawall, several boats came ashore, Marsden Point was closed to all shipping and roofing iron lifted on a building in Mangawhai.

On Saturday, Auckland became the target.

Localised power outages, surface flooding and landslips occurred across New Zealand's largest city. Three boats broke from moorings and ferry services were disrupted.

One ship heading to Ports of Auckland was diverted to shelter off the Coromandel Peninsula.

Auckland Council Civil Defence controller Clive Manley says weather conditions will deteriorate and coastal erosion will be a problem from 4pm to 10pm on Saturday at Snells Beach, Waiwera, Orewa, Milford, Cheltenham and Whangateau.

High tide is expected at 8pm.

"It's best to keep away from beaches," he said.

Civil Defence is preparing to evacuate as many as 50 houses in Milford, Cheltenham, Orewa, Whangateau, and Wairewa, Radio New Zealand reports.

Read the rest here:

Lusi batters Auckland beaches

Jersey beaches snuffing out smoking

Posted on by

ASBURY PARK, N.J. -- Belmar is on its way to becoming the next Jersey Shore town to ban smoking on its beaches, but one group says the anti-smoking movement has gone so far that government is re-engineering society to eliminate smoker freedoms.

It may not be too long before the anti-smoking ban is statewide. A bill is pending in the Legislature that would stamp out smoking at all public beaches and parks in the state, in what one assemblywoman called an effort "to change the culture of the next generation."

"It's the right thing to do. It's clearly in the public interest to expand these laws," said Democratic Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, the primary sponsor of the bill, which is up for a vote in the Assembly next week.

At least 18 beaches in the state had banned smoking as of 2011, the latest year for which figures are available, but one group sees the prohibition as social engineering and unnecessary government intrusion on civil rights.

"They're attempting to de-normalize smoking," said Michael J. McFadden, the Mid-Atlantic regional director for Citizens Freedom Alliance, a smoker's rights group. "Now, if you want to smoke, they're going to make it so difficult for you that you have to go hide behind a dumpster."

Some smokers say they already know the feeling.

"I'll come off the beach to smoke," said Natalie Ford, 22, of Jackson. "I won't do it in people's faces. I hide it if I'm passing a baby."

Even some nonsmokers sympathize with the smokers.

"The roped-off areas on the beach are stupid," Anna Wassil, 77, of Belmar, said of the designated smoking areas currently on Belmar's beaches. "They (smokers) look so embarrassed, standing there."

McFadden, author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains" and "TobakkoNacht - The Antismoking Endgame," said that 20 to 30 years ago, one would be hard pressed to find people who would be bothered by a whiff of tobacco smoke outdoors.

See more here:

Jersey beaches snuffing out smoking

Warning To Stay Away From Beaches

Posted on by

Warning to stay away from beaches as weather conditions deteriorate in Auckland

The Auckland Emergency Coordination Centre continues to monitor adverse weather conditions across Auckland.

Auckland Police are investigating a report of an 11 year-old boy possibly missing off Takapuna beach near the boat ramp.

Auckland Council Civil Defence controller Clive Manley says weather conditions are still expected to deteriorate into this evening.

The Auckland east low tide occurred at 1.32pm. Tides are now rising and swells are forecast to become very large during the afternoon.

A seven metre swell was recorded at Marsden Point this afternoon.

Clive Manley says the main concern is the potential for coastal erosion on north-eastern beaches between 4pm and 10pm.

People need to be very careful, especially later this afternoon and into the evening on or near east coast beaches in Rodney and the North Shore. It is best to keep away from beaches.

The areas likely to be affected are: At high risk of coastal erosion (ie properties that are very close to the beach may be affected): Snells Beach, Waiwera, Orewa, Milford, Cheltenham and Whangateau. At moderate risk of coastal erosion: Stanmore Bay, Big Manly, Long Bay, Waiake, Browns Bay, Murrays/Mairangi Bay, Campbells Bay, Castor Bay, Milford Beach, Takapuna Beach, Narrow Neck, Omaha, Hatfields Beach, Algies Bay and Claris.

Throughout the region, there have been localised power outages, surface flooding, landslips and trees down. Around 7000 people have been affected by power outages.

See the original post here:

Warning To Stay Away From Beaches