Violent storms hit New Zealand just weeks after catastrophic flooding.
A state of emergency was declared.
Update from February 14, 11:05 a.m .:
The tropical cyclone "Gabrielle" rages with destructive force in New Zealand.
The government therefore declared a national emergency on Tuesday.
In the country with only around five million inhabitants, around 225,000 people were without electricity.
Some places were completely cut off from the outside world due to flooding and badly damaged roads.
Air, ferry and train connections have been partially suspended.
State of emergency declared in New Zealand: "Worst weather event of this century"
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said that no tropical storm had caused such damage in New Zealand in a generation.
It is "the worst weather event of this century".
It is only the third time in the country's history that authorities have declared a nationwide emergency, said Kieran McAnulty, the emergency management minister.
The measure was previously only imposed during the coronavirus pandemic and after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
McAnulty emphasized, "This is an unprecedented weather event affecting much of the North Island."
He described the storm as a disaster "that poses a real threat to the lives of New Zealanders."
+
Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused flooding in many parts of New Zealand - like here in Awatoto, near the city of Napier.
© AFP
In the Hawke's Bay area and parts of the coastal town of Napier, residents have been urged to take shelter on hills due to rising flood waters.
Numerous rivers burst their banks.
In some places the water masses were so high that only the roofs of houses could be seen.
Many trees and power poles were also swept away by the storm.
The Coromandel Peninsula, a popular holiday destination, was completely cut off from the rest of the country.
The local civil protection stated that almost every street was "absolutely impassable".
The authorities described the damage caused by "Gabrielle" in the region as "carnage".
Tropical storm rages in New Zealand: "monster waves", floods, state of emergency
First report from February 13:
Auckland – Just over two weeks after the devastating floods in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, the region is again affected by severe storms: Tropical cyclone "Gabrielle" moved on Monday (February 13) with heavy rain and strong winds across the north island of the country.
The first foothills had already reached the Pacific state on Sunday.
For the beginning of the week, meteorologists are now expecting "monster waves" and a "huge storm", as the newspaper
New Zealand Herald
reported.
As a precaution, numerous flights were canceled in Auckland and other cities.
Many trains also stood still.
Most schools remained closed due to the weather.
Tens of thousands of homes were without power.
In strong winds with gusts of up to 140 kilometers per hour and heavy rain, trees fell and numerous roads and houses were damaged.
A state of emergency was declared in large parts of the country because of the storm on Monday.
+
Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused a state of emergency in some parts of New Zealand - like here in Titirangi, a suburb of Auckland.
© Diego Opatowski/AFP
"Wild weather" in New Zealand: "The worst is yet to come"
In towns like Whangarei in the Northland region and on the Coromandel Peninsula, residents have been urged to stay safe.
"We still have the worst ahead of us," said Roger Bell of New Zealand's civil defense.
In some cases, gusts of up to 160 kilometers per hour have already been measured, the meteorological service MetService tweeted.
"We still have a few days of wild weather ahead of us," forecast MetService expert Angus Hines.
There have never been so many severe weather warnings of the highest level in such a short time.
More flooding, power outages and road closures are expected through Tuesday.
"Gabrielle" should also reach parts of the South Island during the day.
+
The storm also caused landslides near Auckland.
©David Rowland/dpa
New Zealand Prime Minister warns: 'Stay indoors if you can'
Overall, around a third of New Zealand's 5.1 million residents are affected by the effects of the tropical storm - including Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who was stranded in Auckland on Monday.
He warned the New Zealanders not to go outdoors because of the storm.
"Things will get worse before they get better," he warned at a press conference: "Stay inside if you can."
At the end of January, four people died in a catastrophic flood in Auckland.
Eyewitnesses spoke of the worst flooding they had ever experienced.
Some parts of the airport in the metropolis with 1.6 million inhabitants were also under water.
The residents of New Zealand's largest city are still struggling with the consequences - and are now being hit again by severe storms.
(ph/dpa/afp)
List of rubrics: © AFP
