North Island devastation: New Zealand declares national emergency over tropical storm Aliens trapped behind flying objects? The American general does not want to rule anything out

It is only the third time in the country’s history that authorities have declared a nationwide emergency, Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said Tuesday. So far, the storm has caused great damage, especially on the North Island.

Some places were cut off from the outside world. Tens of thousands of people had no electricity. Air, ferry and train connections are partially suspended.

The State of National Emergency gives the central government more powers to deal with crises. The measure was taken earlier because of the 2020 corona pandemic and after the earthquake in Christchurch in February 2011.

McAnulty stressed, “This is an unprecedented weather event affecting much of the North Island.” He described the storm as a significant disaster, “presenting 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 stay safe on the hills due to rising floodwaters.

In some areas, the bodies of water were so high that only the roofs of houses could be seen. In a suburb of Auckland, the largest city, emergency services searched for a firefighter buried under the rubble of a collapsed house.

Many trees and power poles were also swept away by the storm. In many supermarkets, the shelves were empty after panic buying before the storm. “Gabrielle” moved southeast past the Pacific state on Tuesday.

Just a few weeks ago, in the middle of New Zealand’s summer, there was devastating flooding on the North Island. Four people have been killed in the catastrophic flooding in Auckland. Eyewitnesses spoke of the worst flooding they had ever experienced. (sda/dpa)