State of Emergency Declared in Wellington
New Zealand has declared a state of emergency in its capital city, Wellington, as torrential rain and flash flooding inundated the North Island. The extreme weather has caused significant disruption and damage across the region.
Footage circulating online depicts vehicles submerged in water, uprooted trees, and houses impacted by landslides. Wellington experienced a record rainfall of 77mm (3 inches) in under an hour on Monday, according to Mayor Andrew Little.
Authorities Advise Residents to Stay Safe
Local authorities have urged residents to remain indoors as heavy rain is forecast to continue for the next day and a half. Several flights at Wellington Airport have been cancelled, and multiple schools have closed their campuses in response to the hazardous conditions.
More than a dozen people have been evacuated from affected areas. Additionally, a 60-year-old man from the Karori suburb has been reported missing. To date, no fatalities have been confirmed.
Recent Weather Events Compound Flooding
This series of flash floods follows closely on the heels of Cyclone Vaianu, which swept through the North Island less than a week ago.
Mayor Andrew Little described the ongoing situation in a video posted to his Facebook page:
"The wild weather continues. We've had flooding, slips and evacuations... The flooding has been strong enough to move cars, and many manhole covers have been lifted."
Eyewitness Accounts Highlight Severity
In the suburb of Kingston, a resident recounted to Radio New Zealand (RNZ) his attempt to escape a landslide that buried a nearby road in the early hours of Monday by riding on the back of his neighbour's motorbike.
"It's definitely a big event," he said. "You wouldn't have wanted to be under it, it wouldn't have been survivable."
Another resident from Mornington described the impact on his property:
"My garden had been inundated with water, you couldn't see the grass or anything. There was a huge deluge, flow, river in fact, flowing through the garden."
Government Response and Warnings
Mark Mitchell, the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, warned that the worst of the weather was expected later on Monday evening.
"If you are in the Wellington region, be prepared," he said in a Facebook post. "If you are going to evacuate make those decisions early and keep yourself updated with information."
The emergency management office for the Wellington region has advised residents to avoid all non-essential travel and recommended that those living in low-lying or flood-prone areas consider relocating to friends' or family members' homes for at least the next 24 hours.
To assist those in need of shelter, the Wellington City Mission has been established as a refuge during this emergency.
