21% Kiwi households prepared for natural disasters: Stats NZ

.Stats NZ revealed that 21% of New Zealand households were prepared for natural disasters that might hit New Zealand. The 2021 General Social Survey found that not many households met the requirements for ‘basic emergency preparations’.

Basic preparations’ means having enough food and water for three days. It also includes  household emergency plan to deal with a natural disaster.

A total of 13% of households failed to meet any of the requirements for basic emergency preparations.

In fact, the survey conducted by Stats NZ pointed out that many households were unprepared for natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis.

Further, it said that while most households had enough food, only around 50% households had enough water. Enough water implies having at least nine litres for each person according to Stats NZ.

According to the survey, while 47% of people said their households had enough water, 83% said they had enough food for three days. A total of 31% said they had an emergency plan.

People in rural areas more prepared

As per the survey data, one-third of rural people lived in households with basic emergency preparations, compared with 19% of those living in urban areas.

Pointing out regional variations, the survey reported that 36% of the people in Wellington compared with 14% of those in the Auckland region lived in households with basic emergency preparations.

Homeowners more prepared than tenants

Another fact thrown up by the survey is that 25% of the people who owned homes were prepared compared with just 13% who lived in rental homes.

Younger people less prepared than older people

Stats NZ further said that people in the age group 25–44 years were less likely to be prepared for emergencies than people aged 45–64, with only 14% of people in the younger group being prepared. Almost 25% of those in the age group of 45–64 years and 26% of those who were 65 years of age or older resided in households with basic emergency preparations.

Canterbury emergency preparedness declines since 2012

After the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010, more households were prepared for an emergency, but 10 years later, in 2021, there was a drop in preparedness, Stats NZ reported. In terms of preparedness, while Canterbury is lagging, Wellington has picked up pace.