NOS News•
A national emergency has been declared in New Zealand due to severe weather. Gabrielle, a storm that until recently was a hurricane, is feared to wreak havoc.
The storm came ashore in the north of New Zealand around 12:00 pm (Dutch time) yesterday. So far there has been a lot of rain.
The total extent of the damage is still unclear, New Zealand media report. According to The New Zealand Herald, tens of thousands of households on the North Island are without power. There are also floods and a bridge has collapsed. Some places are cut off from the outside world.
Firefighter missing
In the Auckland region, where nearly 1.7 million people live, a firefighter is missing after a landslide. An unknown number of people from the area have been evacuated as a precaution and are being cared for in special shelters in Auckland city.
Two weeks ago, the north of New Zealand was also hit by severe weather. Auckland and the area north of it had the wettest day on record. This was accompanied by flooding. Four people died.
“Extreme weather follows extreme weather,” Prime Minister Hipkins warned at a press conference yesterday. “I know this is extremely exhausting for everyone and I recognize that many are having a very hard time.”
State of emergency rare
It is the third time in history that New Zealand has declared a national emergency. This previously happened with the earthquake in Christchurch (2011) and the corona pandemic (2020). By declaring a state of emergency, the central government has more powers to provide aid in the affected areas.
