The North Island of New Zealand is struggling with the consequences of devastating storms for the second time in just a few weeks. Tropical cyclone Gabrielle is raging in the Pacific country with such destructive force that the government declared a national emergency on Tuesday. About 225,000 people were without electricity in the country with only around five million inhabitants. 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.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said no tropical storm had caused such damage in New Zealand in a generation. It is “the worst weather event of this century”.
It was only around two weeks ago that there were massive floods, especially around the largest city, Auckland. Even the airport was partly under water. In the metropolis at the end of January, more rain fell within 24 hours than in a whole summer. Four people died.
It is only the third time in the country’s history that authorities have declared a nationwide emergency, Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said. The measure, previously imposed only during the coronavirus pandemic and after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, gives the central government more powers to manage crises.
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.” 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. Rescuers searched a suburb of Auckland’s largest city for a firefighter who was buried under the rubble of a collapsed house.
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”.
Many trees and power poles were also knocked down by the gale force winds. Because mobile phone masts failed, it was sometimes difficult to get information. Supermarket shelves were empty after panic buying before the storm. Almost all schools remained closed.
About 200 soldiers were deployed to help those affected. Neighboring Australia and the UK have also offered support. “Gabrielle” moved in a southeasterly direction along the Pacific state on Tuesday.
Hipkins said the fight against climate change is high on his government’s agenda. The storm made it clear how important it is to reduce the country’s CO₂ emissions and “to face the challenge of climate change”.
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