Critical infrastructure recovery: Key lessons

Abstract

In early 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle and other North Island extreme weather events severely
impacted the east coast and northern-most regions of the North Island. Damage to critical infrastructure will take years to recover.

Given the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and the ever-present risk of other major natural hazard events, effective strategies for recovery of critical infrastructure systems are essential. There is a growing awareness of the importance of recovery as a way to support communities following a disruption and to take opportunities to reduce future disaster risk.

This report provides a commentary on the key attributes of a successful critical infrastructure recovery programme, incorporating less successful aspects where these are relevant to support practitioners managing recovery following the recent extreme weather events; we have reviewed and collated recovery lessons from New Zealand and international disaster recovery programmes. It provides recovery lessons applicable to a diverse range of end-users with various roles in critical infrastructure related recovery activities, including those within central and local government, infrastructure owner/operators, contractors, and recovery offices.