New Zealand braces for Cyclone Vaianu, North Island evacuations ordered
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New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon warned the cyclone had the potential to be damaging and urged those in its path to prepare for impact.
PHOTO: AFP
Thousands of New Zealanders were ordered to evacuate their homes on April 11 as the country’s North Island braced for Cyclone Vaianu, which authorities warned could cause coastal flooding and landslides.
Vaianu, forecast to bring heavy rain and winds of up to 130kmh, was expected to hit on April 12, then pass west of the remote Chatham Islands on April 13, the country’s weather forecaster said.
Several regions were under emergency declarations on April 11, with authorities ordering evacuations in some parts of Whakatane, population 37,150, about 430km north of the capital, Wellington.
“Residents should plan to be away for at least two days,” the Whakatane District Council posted on Facebook. On coastal areas, the storm could cause landslides, storm surges, waves of up to 13 metres and coastal flooding, it said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on April 10 the cyclone had the potential to be damaging and urged those in its path to prepare for impact.
“Make sure drains are free, check in on the neighbours, and be prepared for possible power cuts,” he said on X.
Vaianu has conjured up the painful memory of 2023’s Cyclone Gabrielle, which killed 11 and displaced thousands in New Zealand’s biggest natural disaster this century. REUTERS
