24 x 7 World News

NZ declares state of emergency, PM says damage is worst ‘in a generation’ as Cyclone Gabrielle lashes North Island

0
The damage wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle is the worst New Zealanders have seen in a generation, according to the country’s prime minister.

“Cyclone Gabrielle is the most significant weather event New Zealand has seen in this century,” Chris Hipkins said in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

“The severity and the damage that we are seeing has not been experienced in a generation.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, left, visits the Emergency Civil Defence Centre
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the damage wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle is the worst New Zealanders have seen in a generation. (Dean Purcell/New Zealand Herald via AP)

As of Tuesday afternoon, around 2500 people have been displaced by the storm, although Hipkins said conditions are expected to ease overnight and on Wednesday.

“The centre of the cyclone is just north of the East Cape. It’s moving in a south-easterly direction away from the country,” Hipkins said.

Hipkins’ address came after a national state of emergency was declared in New Zealand by Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty, just the third time a NZ government has declared a national state of emergency.

A tree is torn out of the ground in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert.
A tree is torn out of the ground in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert. (Stuff / Ricky Wilson)

The previous declarations came for the Christchurch earthquakes and COVID-19 pandemic.

McAnulty hosted a press conference at the Beehive, NZ’s parliament building, on Tuesday morning.

He said the declaration would apply to the six regions that had declared a local state of emergency: Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Hawke’s Bay.

“The local leadership, CDEM groups, and emergency responders in all of the affected areas have been doing an outstanding job, but the widespread damage caused by this cyclone means we need a national declaration to support them,” he said.

“A National State of Emergency gives the National Controller legal authority to apply resources across the country in support of a national level response.”

Monday night saw widespread damage across the North Island as Cyclone Gabrielle moved closer.

Workers attend a landslide and damaged road.
Workers attend a landslide and damaged road. (Stuff / David White)

A landslide trapped two firefighters overnight in Muriwai, West Auckland, one was rescued and was in a critical condition in hospital this morning, while another remained unaccounted for.

The East Coast and Gisborne were cut off entirely.

Power, road, rail, cellphone and Internet connections were cut to Gisborne, hampering emergency responses in the east coast city.

Firefighter trapped in Auckland landslide as cyclone wreaks havoc

In Hawke’s Bay, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise reported all of Napier and Hastings were without power today.

Multiple people were also trapped in flooded houses and on cars along State Highway 5, in Eskdale Valley, Hastings, according to the Fire Service.

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.

Leave a Reply