The new head of Southland’s storm recovery has painted a positive picture of people looking out for one another in an hour of need.

On Thursday, Invercargill City Council manager Rex Capil was selected to oversee the region’s recovery by a civil defence group made up of Southland mayors.

The role includes creating an action plan, co-ordinating activities across agencies, and engaging with affected communities.

Invercargill City Council group manager Rex Capil has been appointed to a recovery manager role. Credit: Supplied

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, Capil said the violence of the wind had come as a shock to people, who then had to absorb it and take stock.

But the people of Southland had been there for one another.

“And that’s one thing I’d say that I've noticed in my observations and understanding of the situation is that it brought people closer together to look after and look out for each other, which is what I consider to be the true Southland way, anyway.”

Capil said the main focus of the recovery would be on lifelines, trees, welfare and economic impact — the latter being something which may not have “bubbled to the surface yet”.

The role was designed to transition the region from a state of response to recovery and would wind up within 28 days, which was the statutory length of time for a transition period.

Capil would hold the position simultaneously with his city council role and was joined by fellow council manager Russell Pearson as alternate manager.

A report prepared for the civil defence group noted legislation required the appointment of a recovery manager to lead and co-ordinate recovery, but Southland did not have any recovery managers that could undertake the role.

The appointments would help with future responses, it said.

Southland remains under a state of emergency following the October 23 storm, but that is set to lapse on Friday morning.

As of Thursday afternoon, 22 customers remained without power in the region, PowerNet said.

In Invercargill, the council estimates more than 1000 trees are potentially damaged.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air