Damage to a house in Te Karaka in Tairāwhiti following Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Nathan McKinnon
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence says there will be long-term psychological effects from recent cyclones that have hit the region.
The area was in clean-up mode from Cyclone Hale in January before Cyclone Gabrielle struck.
Most of the region is isolated due to slips and bridge closures.
Civil Defence Controller Ben Green said the impact on people, many who had been isolated for up to 10 days, would be huge.
"That I would say is the most noticeable impact, it's the psycho-social, the mental well-being space of people who can actually cope with this stuff.
"We will be sort of really focusing on that as part of our recovery going forward as an ongoing campaign in terms of how do we support people for this?"
Green said he knew some people who were seriously considering moving out of the region.
Chopper health and welfare checks resume in Hawke's Bay
Helicopter health and welfare visits to isolated communities in Hawke's Bay are resuming on Sunday.
Flights have been grounded due to heavy rain in the region over the previous three days.
Helicopters will be dropping in on Rissington, Te Hāroto, Tūtira and Waikoau.
Health and welfare teams will be on board, as well as Ministry for Primary Industries representatives to offer support for farmers.
In Napier, an Ahuriri social services organisation said some flood affected whānau were embarrassed to ask for help.
Roopu a Iwi Trust is working with Pukemokimoki marae to provide donated goods to those who need them.
The trust's chief executive, Maureen Mua, said people needed to come forward.
"At the moment they're still trying to get through the whole grieving process of what's happened, so well-minded people are coming in on their behalf or we have got whānau that are coming in."
Huge numbers of volunteers had been sorting food, clothes, bedding and towels at the marae every day.
Meanwhile, the Hawke's Bay Fruit Growers Association is encouraging members to try and take a break where they can, with fatigue from the cyclone recovery setting in.
Some growers are facing huge losses, with entire blocks of crops destroyed just before the harvest was set to get underway.
Association president Brydon Nisbet said the group was encouraging orchardists to make use of the support that was available, including free counselling sessions that it is funding with the help of donations.
Drop-in centre for Karekare
A welfare drop-in service is being offered to the isolated Auckland community of Karekare next week.
Houses came toppling down in Karekare after 16 slips in the area due to Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell
Houses came toppling down in Karekare after 16 slips in the area due to Cyclone Gabrielle.
The beach settlement on the west coast was devastated by landslides in this year's two major flooding events.
Several houses have been destroyed and roads into the area are impassable.
Supplies have been flown in by helicopter including 200 litres of petrol over the weekend.
Emergency Management said trauma counselling would be available next week.
The Karekare community was doing a great job of looking out for each other, it said.
