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CatastropheNew Zealand

New Zealand: Auckland hit by more rain

February 1, 2023

A state of emergency was in place in New Zealand's most populous city. New Zealand's North Island has been receiving more rain than usual because of the La Nina weather event.

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A large slip on the cliffs below Parnell make houses unsafe
Emergency officials said some 200 homes and businesses around Auckland were assessed after the floods as too unsafe to enterImage: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Rain battered Auckland on Wednesday, wreaking havoc across New Zealand's largest city.

A state of emergency was in place in Auckland and Northland, the country's northernmost region.

New Zealand's weather service described January's weather as "record breaking." 

But the rains overnight into Wedensday had not been as heavy as feared, Fire and Emergency New Zealand regional manager Ron Devlin said. "The weather didn't reach the point that was predicted, which is a great thing."

Despite that several roads across the city, including parts of the city's motorway system remain flooded, a number of rail networks were not operating, houses have been flooded again and significant landslides were posing risks to some buildings.

4 people killed in earlier floods

It was a welcome reprieve in the city where four people lost their lives in flash floods and landslides that have hit Auckland since Friday amid record downpours.

The north of New Zealand's North Island has been receiving more rain than usual due to the La Nina weather event.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins (L) and Finance Minister Grant Robertson (CR) speak to young volunteers in Auckland that was hit with a historic amount of torrential rainfall
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins vowed to help Auckland back on its fee Image: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins traveled to Auckland on Wednesday to meet with those affected by the floods and show support for emergency workers.

On Tuesday he announced his cabinet would contribute NZ$1 million ($643,000 €592,00) to the Auckland Mayoral Relief Fund to assist in the initial emergency response. That's on top of the NZ$2.5 million in civil defense grants to over 6,000 individuals.

The weather service said that the heaviest rains had now passed through Northland and Auckland

lo,si/msh (AP, Reuters)