Wellington - A woman drowned in floodwaters, a town of about
30,000 people was left without power and roads were blocked by
landslides and toppled trees as the second major storm in a week
lashed New Zealand Wednesday.
A civil defence emergency was declared in the Marlborough region
at the top of the South Island as torrential rains and gale force
winds carved an 1,100-kilometre swathe down the country, wreaking
havoc in its path.
A woman was swept to her death in the Bay of Islands in northern
New Zealand as she tried to cross a swollen creek to get to her house
and a search was launched for her missing partner.
Schools were closed, families evacuated to safety from rising
floodwaters and a mini tornado ripped roofs of houses in Mount
Maunganui on the east coast of the North Island.
The 30,000 residents of Levin, 95 kilometres north of the capital
Wellington, and the surrounding area were told to stay indoors after
120-kilometre-per-hour winds toppled hundreds of trees, bringing down
power lines and leaving the town without electricity.
Power was also cut in parts of the South Island where roads were
blocked by fallen trees and widespread flooding was reported.
Air New Zealand cancelled a number of flights in and out of
Wellington airport because of the winds. The South Island ferry
terminal at Picton was flooded and closed.
The MetService warned that heavy rain and winds of up to 130km/h
would continue for some hours and said a huge low-pressure system
over New Zealand was not expected to move away before the weekend.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story