A man has died, flights have been cancelled and major roads closed after strong winds and heavy rain battered New Zealand’s lower North Island, forcing evacuations and cutting power to thousands.
An “extremely unusual” wind gust of 193kmph was recorded in Wellington overnight, local media reported. Falling trees caused damage to homes and blocked major roads.
More than 30,000 properties lost power across the region, including about 10,000 customers in Wellington, the authorities said.
Most flights arriving and departing from Wellington, the nation’s capital, were cancelled or delayed on the morning of 16 February, the airport said. Air New Zealand paused operations at Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North airports.
A mudslide trapped 20 vehicles on Turakina Valley Rd in the Rangitikei District, leaving drivers stranded until crews were able to clear the road, according to the New Zealand Herald.
Several other major routes, including parts of State Highway 1, were also shut as floodwaters and debris made travel unsafe.
Train services across the region were suspended, and Cook Strait ferry crossings were cancelled, disrupting travel plans for hundreds of passengers.
States of emergency have been declared in Otorohanga, Waipa, Tararua, Rangitikei and Manawatu districts.
Heavy rain warnings remain in place for parts of the North Island and the upper South Island, as communities brace for more downpours and assess the damage already left behind.
In Lower Hutt, about 7,000 homes were still without electricity by mid-morning on Monday. Hutt City Council warned residents to stay vigilant until around 6.00pm and to avoid waterways and low-lying coastal areas.
Waiwhetu Stream had earlier burst its banks, but levels were starting to fall, authorities said.
In Stokes Valley, a local resident Teresa Hayes said volunteers struggled to remove floodwater from her home.
“We were ankle-deep at one point,” she said. Despite the damage, she remained hopeful. “We are pretty lucky in the grand scheme of things. We are safe. That’s the main thing.”
In western Waikato, civil defence controller Wayne Allan described the storm as short, sharp and with intensity which varied significantly across the region.
He said: “In terms of numbers of impacted people, our primary focus has to be Pirongia’s water supply,” he said.
“The supply is fragile and relies on a single pipe to support an entire community. Water tankers are a contingency option but the least impact on households will be to reduce water use and make the reduced supply last.
“We have seen an increase in water use in the last 24 hours, and we’re monitoring it – we urge the community to keep the savings going.”
Emergency New Zealand Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper said: “We had a very busy night, and our firefighters are continuing to respond to calls.”
Fire and Emergency New Zealand received 852 emergency calls across the North Island overnight, authorities said in a statement. Most calls were linked to storm damage such as fallen trees, downed powerlines and damaged roofs, the statement said.
More than half of the calls came from the Wellington region as the storm tracked south, but nearly the entire North Island – except Northland – reported damage or flooding, Mr Cooper said.
Photos shared online showed semi-rural neighbourhoods underwater, homes swamped by flooding, and sections of road left collapsed and torn apart after the waters receded.
Sunday’s night’s storm follows a period of bad weather that has already claimed one life. Brent Knowles, described by locals as a “loving father”, died when his vehicle became submerged in floodwaters on State Highway 39 on Friday.
The latest deluge comes just a few weeks after deadly storms killed nine people and left widespread destruction.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told Stuff that the storm was tracking south, with eastern parts of South Island next in line for severe weather.
Heavy rain warnings have been issued for the Kaikoura district and Canterbury north of Amberley until 9.00pm on Monday, and for Banks Peninsula until 6.00pm on Tuesday.
Christchurch City Council has urged residents in Christchurch and across Canterbury to prepare for persistent overnight rain, with between 150mm and 250mm forecast to fall by 10.00am Tuesday local time.
