Cyclone Gabriel: National emergency declared in New Zealand

by time news

Wellington: A state of national emergency has been declared in New Zealand, which has been devastated by Cyclone Gabriel. Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty signed the declaration after the floods and landslides made the situation worse. Heavy damage is reported in the northern part of the country. According to government sources, the electricity connection in about 46000 houses has been disrupted due to heavy rain and wind.

Floods and mudslides have inundated many settlements near Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Some communities such as Gisborne Coastal and Thyrawithi are completely isolated without electricity, mobile networks or road access.

‘There are major impacts across much of the North Island. Many roads were damaged. Many areas are under water. The disaster poses a major threat to the lives of New Zealanders. More rain and wind is expected on Tuesday. “This will be a big challenge for disaster management,” said Emergency Management Minister McAnulty.

The New Zealand Fire and Emergency Service says one firefighter is missing and another is in critical condition after a house collapsed in West Auckland. Air New Zealand said flights were suspended on Monday due to bad weather, but some were expected to resume by Tuesday.

This is the third time a state of emergency has been declared in New Zealand. The state of emergency was previously declared following the Christchurch terror attack in 2019 and Covid in 2020.

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