Eastern Suburbs Research Articles

The use of ICT in Schools of Eastern Suburb of Mumbai

The use of ICT in Schools of Eastern Suburb of Mumbai

Observatory of Town and Biomimetics For Urban Modeling and Architectural Design of Scientific Space in Landscaped Site.

Some modern architectural designs face difficulties in completion ,andthe dificult and complexe shapes lead to an increase in the cost of the project. The irregular urban planning of town creates an imbalance in the urban fabric and causes the functional problems. In this searches using biomimetics , we practice the urban planning of scientific space through projects of scientific use in several branches in a pivotal urban area whose scientific space extends to the eastern suburb of Ouzera Town. After a brief presentation of an urban observatory from Ouzera Town that enhances the scientifc project, the scientific spaces are disgnated for the rapid exucution in scientific space. The architectural design derived from the plants and biological structures facilitates the urban realization insuring easy practices and achieving and urban form through landscape architecture that is consistent in ecologicaland landscaped area of Ouzera Terriory.

More than just a color: Archaeological, analytical, and procedural aspects of Late Bronze Age purple-dye production at Cape Kolonna, Aegina.

Excavations in the Eastern Suburb of Bronze Age Aegina Kolonna revealed the destruction deposit of two sequenced Early Mycenaean buildings (phase Late Helladic IIA; 16th century BC). The older building is interpreted as a widely undisturbed production site of purple-dye based on indicative finds such as ceramic sherds containing analyzable quantities of pigment, high amounts of mollusk shells, and a few functional facilities. Chemical analysis by HPLC and malacological determination revealed that the banded dye-murex (Hexaplex trunculus) was used almost exclusively. The presence of crushing tools and a waste disposal pit provide insight into the technical process of dye production. Additionally, skeletal remains of heavily burnt infantile and juvenile piglets, kids, or lambs were found in the purple workshop area. The evidence may be better explained by ritual activities aimed at promoting the highly meaningful event of purple production, rather than by normal food consumption practices.

Transformations of the Beirut River: Between Temporary and Permanent Liminality

This article presents the case of the Beirut River corridor in Lebanon, which defines the administrative border between the capital Beirut, its eastern and south-eastern suburbs. The Beirut River has undergone several transformations from being a lotic environment to becoming complex urban infrastructure. This is often unnoticeable due to the scarcity of its running water and its walled existence at the edge of administrative boundaries. The separation from its riverbanks, disconnection from the urban fabric, and continuous pollution have contributed to its liminality, being simultaneously neither present nor absent. To understand this in-betweenness, the river’s spatial, temporal, and social liminality are analysed by identifying major events, actors, and key urban planning interventions that impacted the river at the national, city region, and local scales. The article explores the development of the river corridor both in terms of urbanisation and population dynamics; its distinct positionality in different periods that corresponded to major events and decisions made; and the contrasting river experiences and perceptions across generations, which vary between reminiscence and aversion. By examining the various transformative processes, collective practices, perceptions, and diverse actors, the article highlights the contextual implications of this obdurate liminality, but also Beirut River’s potential alternative future positionality amidst present and imminent urban challenges.

Сосуды с эпиграфическими и псевдо­эпиграфическими надписями с территории Царевского городища

Research objectives: To study 14th century vessels with epigraphic and pseudo-epigraphic inscriptions. Research materials: Ceramic vessels kept in the Archaeological Museum of Kazan Federal University. Results and novelty of the research: In the 1960s, large-scale archaeological work was carried out on the archaeological sit of Tsarevskoye settlement by the Volga Archaeological Expedition led by G.A. Fedorov-Davydov. A group from Kazan State University (led by I.S. Weiner) also took part in the the expedition. As a result, a large layer of material sources was obtained within which, the most massive example of material was ceramics. To date, archeological objects discovered during the excavations of the Tsarevskoye settlement in 1961–1968 are in the funds of the Archaeological Museum of the Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University. In addition to the artistic merits of the ceramics of the Golden Horde era, these items have a special scientific source-study significance since, being obtained as a result of field research, they are stratified and provided with an archaeological context. As part of the study, five stonepaste-based glazed vessels, one Central Asian stamped jug, and one die for the manufacture of stamped dishes were considered as the main research subjects. Vessels with epigraphic inscriptions meet analogies among the materials of the Lower Volga and Central Asian sites. Thus, the article introduces new data obtained as a result of epigraphic, linguistic, and comparative analyses of the collection originating from the territory of the eastern suburb of Tsarevskoye settlement of the 14th century.

Assessment of the influence of an Australian native eucalypt, Corymbia maculata, on soil desiccation in a temperate climate

AbstractExpansive soils undergo significant moisture change under prevailing climate conditions, resulting in shrinkage and swelling in dry and wet months. Such seasonal movements of expansive soils can greatly affect the serviceability and performance of lightweight structures founded on shallow footing systems. The extent of movement may be exacerbated if trees are present since large amounts of water can be absorbed by the root system of trees, leading to localized settlement due to soil shrinkage. This study established a well-instrumented site that included a row of Australian native eucalypts located in an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Australia. A tree from this row was chosen for the monitoring of soil movements, soil moisture and suction over a period of 44 months. A sap flow instrument was used to monitor the transpiration and water uptake by the tree. The results showed that noticeable shrinkage settlement occurred at a radial distance of 7.8 m from the trunk of the tree, attributable in part to the increased water demand of the tree. This study promotes a better understanding of the process of expansive soil–tree root interaction. The field data presented can assist geotechnical engineers and practitioners with footing design in the presence of trees.

Bondi to Byron: divergent pathways in NSW’s Metropolitan and regional rental markets during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT In this paper, we look to compare the differential responses of metropolitan and regional rental markets in the first 12 months post-pandemic in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state. We employ descriptive statistics to analyse broad trends in both rental prices and transfers in and out of long-term rental supply through the short-term letting and property buyer markets. Moreover, we examine how these dynamics have played out at the local level using the contrasting case studies of Bondi in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and Byron Bay in the northern rivers of NSW. The results demonstrate that there have been distinctly separate responses to the pandemic across different geographical profiles, displaying cohort-level behaviours ranging from rental declines in inner-city areas to significant increases in high-price regional areas. Furthermore, a comparison of metro and regional markets highlights a strong and symmetrical association between short-term lettings activity and changes in long-term rental prices over the initial COVID-19 period. Finally, analysis of investor activity exhibits a highly reactive and geographically differentiated response to changes in rental yields. Ultimately, the findings of this study further the understanding of the contrasting responses at the local scale to the COVID-19 pandemic, the complex interplay between long- and short-term rental markets and help shed light on necessary future policy directions for NSW’s, and Australia’s, housing market.

Beta-Diversity Enhancement by Archaeological Structures: Bacterial Communities of an Historical Tannery Area of the City of Jena (Germany) Reflect the Ancient Human Impact

Soil samples taken during archaeological investigations of a historical tannery area in the eastern suburb of the medieval city of Jena have been investigated by 16S r-RNA gene profiling. The analyses supplied a large spectrum of interesting bacteria, among them Patescibacteria, Methylomirabilota, Asgardarchaeota, Zixibacteria, Sideroxydans and Sulfurifustis. Samples taken from soil inside the residues of large vats show large differences in comparison to the environmental soil. The PCAs for different abundance classes clearly reflect the higher similarity between the bacterial communities of the outside-vat soils in comparison with three of the inside-vat soil communities. Two of the in-side vat soils are distinguishable from the other samples by separate use of each abundance class, but classes of lower abundance are better applicable than the highly abundant bacteria for distinguishing the sampling sites by PCA, in general. This effect could be interpreted by the assumption that less abundant types in the 16S r-RNA data tend to be more related to an earlier state of soil development than the more abundant and might be, therefore, better suited for conclusions on the state of the soils in an earlier local situation. In addition, the analyses allowed identification of specific features of each single sampling site. In one site specifically, DNA hints of animal residue-related bacteria were found. Obviously, the special situation in the in-site vat soils contributes to the diversity of the place, and enhances its Beta-diversity. Very high abundancies of several ammonia-metabolizing and of sulphur compound-oxidizing genera in the metagenomics data can be interpreted as an echo of the former tannery activities using urine and processing keratin-rich animal materials. In summary, it can be concluded that the 16S r-RNA analysis of such archaeological places can supply a lot of data related to ancient human impacts, representing a kind of “ecological memory of soil”.

Перстни из вещевого комплекса парного захоронения детей-подростков на Сунгирской верхнепалеолитической стоянке

The article presents the results of a technical and morphological study of a series of ivory finger rings discovered in 1969 by O. N. Bader during his excavations of a unique double burial of teenagers at the Sungir Upper Palaeolithic site (35—29 thousand years ago), situated at the eastern suburb of the city Vladimir in Vladimir province of Russia. The objects under study are nine artifacts in the shape of small rings made of mammoth ivory, including six intact finger rings found on the fingers of two buried teenager boys. The newly obtained technological and use-wear evidence makes it possible to better understand how the rings were produced and used. In particular, it suggests that both closed and disconnected rings were carved from short and massive ivory chips. Special attention was given not to the aesthetic of the outer surface but rather to the morphometric properties of the inner surface. The character of pitting on the ring surfaces, peculiarities of their position on the fingers, and the character of the archaeological context of these finds point to the possibility that they were probably not only personal ornaments of ancient hunters, but had also some strictly utilitarian function associated with the use (throwing) of projectiles.

The Role of the Microbiome in the Metabolic Health of People with Schizophrenia and Related Psychoses: Cross-Sectional and Pre-Post Lifestyle Intervention Analyses.

The microbiome has been implicated in the development of metabolic conditions which occur at high rates in people with schizophrenia and related psychoses. This exploratory proof-of-concept study aimed to: (i) characterize the gut microbiota in antipsychotic naïve or quasi-naïve people with first-episode psychosis, and people with established schizophrenia receiving clozapine therapy; (ii) test for microbiome changes following a lifestyle intervention which included diet and exercise education and physical activity. Participants were recruited from the Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service, Sydney, Australia. Anthropometric, lifestyle and gut microbiota data were collected at baseline and following a 12-week lifestyle intervention. Stool samples underwent 16S rRNA sequencing to analyse microbiota diversity and composition. Seventeen people with established schizophrenia and five people with first-episode psychosis were recruited and matched with 22 age-sex, BMI and ethnicity matched controls from a concurrent study for baseline comparisons. There was no difference in α-diversity between groups at baseline, but microbial composition differed by 21 taxa between the established schizophrenia group and controls. In people with established illness pre-post comparison of α-diversity showed significant increases after the 12-week lifestyle intervention. This pilot study adds to the current literature that detail compositional differences in the gut microbiota of people with schizophrenia compared to those without mental illness and suggests that lifestyle interventions may increase gut microbial diversity in patients with established illness. These results show that microbiome studies are feasible in patients with established schizophrenia and larger studies are warranted to validate microbial signatures and understand the relevance of lifestyle change in the development of metabolic conditions in this population.

Research on spatiotemporal variation characteristics of soundscapes in a newly established suburban forest park

Passive acoustic monitoring has developed rapidly as a tool for ecological assessments, and the use of acoustic indices to assess biodiversity in urban forests promises to be a low-cost and efficient analytical approach. However, the accuracy of using acoustic indices to characterize biodiversity may be compromised by excessive human interference. The acoustic complexity index (ACI) and normalized difference soundscape index (NDSI) were chosen to determine their application value, and explore the spatiotemporal patterns of change in the soundscape of a newly established suburban forest park in China. To understand the influence of drivers such as different sound source types, road distance, and vegetation structure on the soundscape, the Eastern Suburb Forest Park was selected as the study area, and 55 recording points (200 m intervals, 5 × 11 grids) were set up using a systematic grid. Passive acoustic monitoring was performed for four consecutive days in each season, and the spatiotemporal variation of the soundscape was visualized based on indices interpolation. The results showed that when using ACI and NDSI to rapidly assess biodiversity in urban forest environments, attention needs to be paid to the implications of seasonal fluctuations on indices. The temporal variation of the soundscape was closely related to the natural rhythms and vocal activity intensity of organisms. Distance to a nearby main road, distance to water, and structural complexity of vegetation were key factors influencing spatial variation. The findings support the use of acoustic methods to assess the characteristics of soundscapes in human-built urban forests. Soundscape mapping visualizes hotspots and moments of ecoacoustic activity, and has great potential for development in the conservation and management of suburban forest soundscapes.

Pollution, Ecological Risk and Source Identification of Heavy Metals in Sediments from the Huafei River in the Eastern Suburbs of Kaifeng, China.

Rivers in urban environments are significant components of their ecosystems but remain under threat of pollution from unchecked discharges of industrial sewage and domestic wastewater. Such river pollution, particularly over the longer term involving heavy metals, is an issue of worldwide concern regarding risks to the ecological environment and human health. In this study, we investigate the long-term pollution characteristics of the Huafei River, an important urban river in Kaifeng, China. River sedimentary samples were analyzed, assessing the degree and ecological risk of heavy metal pollution using the geo-accumulation index and potential ecological risk index methods, whilst Pearson’s correlation, principal component and cluster analyses were used to identify the sources of pollution. The results show that heavy metal concentrations are significantly higher than their corresponding fluvo-aquic soil background values in China, and the geo-accumulation indexes indicate that of the eight heavy metals identified, Hg is most prevalent, followed in sequence by Cd > Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > As > Cr. The potential ecological risk index of the Huafei River is very high, with the potential ecological risk intensity highest in the midstream and downstream sections, where it is recommended that pollution control is carried out, especially concerning Hg and Cd. Long-term sequence analysis indicates that Cu and Pb dropped sharply from 1998 to 2017, but rebounded in 2019, and that Zn shows a continuous decreasing trend. Four main sources for the heavy metal contaminants were identified: Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Hg derived mainly from industrial activities, traffic sources and natural sources; Cd originated mainly from industrial and agricultural activities; whilst As was mainly associated with industrial activities. Thus, special attention should be paid to Hg and Cd, and measures must be taken to prevent further anthropogenic influence on heavy metal pollution.

Heavy metal pollution and risk assessment of farmland soil around abandoned domestic waste dump in Kaifeng City

In order to understand the heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risk of farmland soil around the waste dump in the eastern suburb of Kaifeng clearly and provide a scientific basis for the remediation of heavy metals in farmland soil, the single factor pollution index method, Nemero comprehensive pollution index method and Hakanson potential ecological risk method were used to evaluate the heavy metal pollution status and potential ecological risk degree of farmland in this area at the same time. The ArcGIS software was employed to map the spatial distribution of heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risks. The results show that the average values of heavy metals in this area are higher than the soil Background Value of Kaifeng City, and the problem of excessive heavy metals in the soil is significant. Of the 41 surface soil samples, Cd’s heavy and moderate pollution rates were up to 15% and 38%, respectively, and the potential ecological risk caused by Cd element was quite serious, and more than 35% of the soil samples were at higher potential ecological risk. The comprehensive review results showed that 38% of the samples were heavy pollution, and 23% of the sample soils were at higher potential ecological risk. The spatial distribution characterized by the levels of most heavy metals and the extent of potential ecological risk showed high levels in the center of the dump, with a gradual decrease towards the outward radiation zone. This means dust and leachate from waste dump are major causes of heavy metal contamination and potential ecological risks. In addition, the retrieval of the waste mound soil from landfills by villagers as soil fertilizer for rapeseed also caused, to some extent, the transfer of the waste mound contaminants.

Factors influencing the preparedness for the implementation of the national health insurance scheme at a selected hospital in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Research studies as well as anecdotal evidence suggest that there are challenges regarding the NHI plan implementation. These include problems such as an increase in illnesses and a shortage of personnel to drive the project in South African public hospitals. This is exacerbated by the existing situation of most government-funded healthcare institutions, which are characterized by bad administration, insufficient budget, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient drug supply, as highlighted in several studies. The hospital under investigation is one such facility, with a history of patients sleeping on the floor and people being turned away owing to a shortage of experts and an overburdened staff. This situation is concerning, given that the government claims to be providing appropriate funds to the institution. The hospital under research is highly regarded by the surrounding community. However, a visit by the Health MEC in 2014 revealed that the facility had insufficient sanitary standards and a high complaint rate. Based on the foregoing, as well as the difficulties that both employees and patients are confronted with at the selected hospital, the question that emerges is whether the hospital is fit for the implementation of the NHI.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the preparation for the launch of the national health insurance scheme at a Johannesburg hospital.Setting: The study was conducted at a hospital situated in eastern suburbs of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.Method: The study employed a qualitative method with an explorative, descriptive, qualitative study design. The population consisted of selected hospital employees, such as doctors, dispensary officers, hospital managers, human resources workers, facility managers, and administration record officials who were employed at the selected hospital. Purposive sampling was used to select participants.Sample size: Category saturation was used to determine the sample size. The participants for the study were chosen using purposeful sampling, with the researcher aiming for those who were familiar with the NHI scheme at the institution. Semi structured interviews and a focus group discussion were used to gather data. The data from the focus group discussion and semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: The investigation found that the hospital was preparing to for the NHI implementation, but that was riddled with lack of resources, poor infrastructure, lack of training, delays in development and poor technological advances.Recommendations: The paper suggests that human resources be increased, infrastructure be upgraded, medicines and equipment be increased, and enough training on NHI implementation be provided.Contribution: The paper adds to the body of knowledge regarding the NHI in South Africa.

Integrated assessment of the extreme climatic conditions, thermal performance, vulnerability, and well-being in low-income housing in the subtropical climate of Australia

Social housing stock worldwide can be characterised by poor indoor environmental quality and building thermal performance, which along with the increasing urban overheating put the low-income population at higher health risk. The dwellings’ thermal performance and the indoor environmental quality are often overlooked in the context of social housing compared to the general building stock in Australia. In the present study, the synergies between urban microclimate, indoor air temperature, housing characteristics and quality of life of residents have been investigated by employing subjective and objective assessment of indoor environmental quality in 106 low-income dwellings during the winter and summer of 2018–2019 in New South Wales. It further examines the impact of urban overheating and levels of income on indoor thermal conditions. The subjective method involved assessing the links between the type of housing in which low-income people live, energy bills, self-reported thermal sensation, health and well-being, and occupants’ behaviours. The results show that many dwellings operated outside the health and safety temperature limits for substantial periods. Indoor air temperatures reached 39.8 °C and the minimum temperature was about 5 °C. While the upper acceptability limit for indoor air temperature was 25.6 °C for 80 % satisfaction, periods of up to about 997 and 114 continuous hours above 26 °C and 32 °C were found in overheated buildings, respectively. Indoor overheating hours above 32 °C were recorded up to 238 % higher in Sydney’s western areas compared to eastern and inner suburbs. Similarly, residents in westerns suburbs and regions experience more outdoor overheating hours than those living near the eastern suburbs. This study highlights the interrelationships between ambient temperature, housing design, income, thermal comfort, energy use, and health and well-being in the context of social housing. The evidence of winter underheating and summer overheating suggests that improvements in building quality and urban heat mitigation are required to minimise the impacts of poor-performing housing and local climate.

Performance-Based vs Informant-Reported Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Predicting Dementia.

Identifying individuals at risk of developing dementia may be aided by early detection of functional impairments. The aims of the present study were to examine differences in informant-reported and performance-based measures of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and to assess whether a performance-based IADL measure contributes additional unique variance over informant reports in predicting incident dementia over 4years. Prospective cohort study (Sydney Memory and Ageing Study). Eastern Suburbs, Sydney, Australia. 307 community-dwelling individuals (60.6% female) aged between 76 and 96years with normal cognition (NC; n= 190) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n= 117). IADL ability was assessed with the performance-based Sydney Test of Activities of Daily Living in Memory Disorders (STAM) and the Bayer-Activities of Daily Living (B-ADL) informant report, at baseline and 4-year follow-up. Covariates included age, sex, education, Mini-Mental State Examination and Geriatric Depression Scale scores, arthritis, vision impairment, cardiovascular risk, and number of medications. Logistic regressions were conducted to examine the longitudinal association between the 2 types of IADL measures and incident dementia. Logistic regressions showed that performance-based IADL impairment at baseline [odds ratio (OR)= 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77, 0.90; P < .001] and decline in performance-based IADL function (OR= 0.82, 95% CI 0.73, 0.91; P < .001) were associated with incident dementia over 4years, with the association provided by the STAM being statistically significant over and above the B-ADL. Performance-based measures of IADL can predict progression to dementia over 4years beyond that provided by an informant report of IADL. Performance-based IADL measures are promising tools for clinical practice to identify individuals at greater risk of developing dementia.

Stakeholder Management in Government-Led Urban Regeneration: A Case Study of the Eastern Suburbs in Chengdu, China

There are debates on choices between the bottom-up and top-down urban regeneration approaches, and the former is often considered to be better quality since it includes mass stakeholders. This research aims to extend the understanding of the government-led top-down urban regeneration approach with a case study of the Eastern Suburbs in Chengdu, China. A qualitative interview-based approach was adopted. The results show that the top-down approach is efficient and brings high-quality results for large-scale post-industrial transformation with inclusive stakeholder management. There are several possible ways to involve stakeholders: actively or passively, participating in the whole process or some stages, and engaging fully or partially, according to the demand on site.

Spatial identification and trade-off analysis of land use functions improve spatial zoning management in rapid urbanized areas, China

The quantitative identification and trade-off/synergy analysis of land use functions (LUFs) form the foundation of territory spatial planning and management. However, the application of trade-offs/synergies in LUF changes to territory spatial zoning remains understudied. In this study, with Hangzhou city in eastern China as a case study area, a series of geospatial models and multisource data were used to quantify LUFs at grid scale over a long time series. The normalized revealed comparative advantage index model was utilized to identify the dominant functions of territory space. Then, Pearson correlation analysis was employed to reveal the spatial and temporal patterns of LUF trade-offs/synergies. Finally, based on quantitative LUFs and their trade-offs/synergies, this study proposed a new spatial functional zoning scheme and targeted management measures to improve territory spatial zoning management. The results showed that during 2000 and 2018, production and ecological functions improved in the western mountainous areas and declined in the eastern plains, while living function significantly improved obviously in the eastern plains of Hangzhou City. The distributions of agricultural, urban and ecological dominant functional areas exhibited obvious regional differences. Among the three LUFs, the trade-off relationship dominated their interactive relationships, trade-off areas for production and living, and for living and ecological function changes mainly occurred in peri-urban areas, while trade-off areas for production and ecological function changes were distributed in the eastern outer suburbs and western valley of Hangzhou City. Based on the dominant functions and trade-offs/synergies of LUF changes, ten types of grid-scale territory spatial functional zones and five types of town-scale major functional zones were divided to optimize and control territory spatial patterns. In general, the proposed zoning scheme contributes to addressing LUF conflicts and building a territory spatial pattern with coordination development of agriculture, urban and ecology.

Nikitin's apartment buildings in Chita

The article reflects the results of the research conducted within the framework of the scientific project "Architects and engineers of the eastern suburbs of Russia (the second half of the XIX – beginning of the XX century)". The publication examines the creative activity of the famous Trans-Baikal architect, a graduate of the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Arts Gavriil Vlasevich Nikitin, who worked in Chita at the beginning of the XX century. Brief biographical information is provided concerning the educational training of the architect, as well as his professional activities on the "outskirts" of the Russian Empire. On the basis of archival data and materials of field surveys, seven preserved buildings of apartment buildings built in the capital of Transbaikalia according to his projects have been identified. A brief digression into the history of the construction of these facilities is given, their spatial planning and stylistic features are considered. Apartment houses authored by G. V. Nikitin are of unconditional interest for historical and architectural science not only as examples of regional architecture of the pre-revolutionary period, but also as an example of the work of this master on a private order. Carrying out projects for representatives of the Chita merchant class, the architect managed to create a number of expressive structures that met the socio-economic and aesthetic needs of his time, as well as set the tone for the subsequent development of the central district of the city. The study showed that the architect mainly worked in the forms of eclecticism, skillfully combining motifs and elements of different architectural styles, thereby managing to form his own, well-recognized author's handwriting.

Preliminary investigation of emerging suburban landsliding in Gisborne, New Zealand

Recently uplifted, soft Pleistocene sediments in northern New Zealand are particularly vulnerable to landsliding because they are often underlain by less permeable, clay-rich Neogene mudstone–siltstone rocks. Typically, instability is rainfall-induced, often owing to a high-intensity rainfall event from extra-tropical cyclones, following wetter months when antecedent soil moisture has increased. Using remote sensing, field surveys and laboratory testing, we report on some emerging slope instability hazards in the eastern suburbs of the coastal city of Gisborne, on the North Island. Retrogressive failure of the main landslide (at Wallis Road) is continuing and has already led to the abandonment of one dwelling, and an adjacent landslide (at Titirangi Drive) appears to be in an incipient phase of failure. The Wallis Road landslide has been particularly active from mid-2017, with slumping of the headscarp area changing to a constrained mudflow downslope, which then descends a cliff before terminating on the beach. In contrast, the incipient Titirangi Drive landslide at present displays much more subtle effects of deformation. Although activity at both landslides appears to be linked to rainfall-induced increases in soil moisture, this is due to the effects of prolonged periods of rainfall rather than the passage of high-intensity cyclonic storms.