The catastrophic flooding and landslides caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in the northern area of New Zealand have claimed the lives of at least four people and displaced hundreds. On Sunday, Cyclone Gabrielle made landfall in New Zealand, moving eastward through the North Island. Its destructive path through the country was marked by the isolation of entire communities, the destruction of farms, bridges, and cattle, and the flooding of homes that left many stranded on roofs. By Wednesday, its intensity had decreased and it had begun to recede.
Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty remarked on live TV that while the brunt of the storm has passed, the country was still in risk. It will take several weeks for the most hit communities to recover from this calamity. We intend to stay for the duration. On Wednesday, law enforcement officials verified the deaths of four persons, including a volunteer fireman who had responded to a call on Monday and been buried by a landslide. It is suspected that the youngster was “caught in rising flood water” and died at Eksdale, a rural town on the east coast. Fearing shortages, authorities are urging people in the most afflicted areas to cut back on water and food usage. Four people lost their lives in the flooding that preceded Gabrielle, the second major storm to batter the North Island in as many weeks.
Most of New Zealand’s 5 million inhabitants call the North Island home. More than 10,000 individuals, according to official estimates, have been forced to relocate. It rained three times as much in the Hawke’s Bay and Napier region on Monday night as it typically does in whole of February, according to a meteorological station. There were 140 km/h (87 mph) winds recorded. McAnulty added that more than 300 individuals were rescued on Tuesday, including 60 who were trapped on a single roof. On Wednesday, helicopters were used to lift the last two dozen individuals to safety. Authorities in Hawke’s Bay issued further evacuation orders early Wednesday morning because to the region’s rivers. There are still over 225,000 houses without power across the island. Whangarei is located roughly 170 kilometers (106 miles) north of Auckland. A mother of four named Jennie Perris claimed her family has been without electricity since Sunday.
On Tuesday, the roads had cleared, and Perris and her family were able to drive into the city to take showers at her mother’s house, charge electronics, and restock on bottled water before returning home to prepare dinner on the grill. She said, “We’re doing everything on it.” On Tuesday, New Zealand issued a national emergency declaration due to the storm, just the third such declaration in the country’s history.
