New Zealand issues rare red warnings amid destructive spring storm
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Flights in and out of New Zealand's capital Wellington and Christchurch, in Canterbury, were cancelled.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WELLINGTON – New Zealand’s weather agency MetService has issued rare red wind warnings, and officials have declared a state of emergency in the Canterbury region as a powerful spring storm brought destructive gales and heavy rain to the South Island and lower North Island on Oct 23.
Flights in and out of the capital Wellington and Christchurch, in Canterbury, were cancelled. Some train services were suspended, and several government facilities such as libraries were closed. The New Zealand Transport Agency also shut several roads, and there were significant power outages.
Media reports showed images of toppled silos, blown down fences, a truck overturned and surface flooding in affected areas.
MetService said severe north-westerlies were expected to produce damaging gusts up to 150kmh near Christchurch and in coastal parts of the lower South Island and up to 140kmh in parts of Wellington and Wairarapa on Oct 23, with heavy rain also forecast for parts of the country.
A red warning is only issued in the most extreme events and people have been asked, where possible, to shelter in place, and government buildings such as libraries and parks were closed in areas worst affected.
The National Emergency Management Agency said a state of emergency for the Canterbury region took effect late on Oct 22, allowing the authorities to mobilise resources and issue directions as conditions intensify.
Fire crews continued to battle wildfires in Hawke’s Bay, on the east coast of the North Island, which have been largely contained, according to a post from Hawke’s Bay Fire and Emergency.
TVNZ reported that a large vegetation fire had also broken out near Hanmer Springs, on the east coast of the South Island, which fire crews were struggling to get to because the road was blocked by fallen trees.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said in a statement it had crews responding to multiple incidents and asked people to watch for falling trees, power lines, debris flying around and to stay off the roads. REUTERS
