New Zealand cyclone death toll up to 8, expected to rise
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WELLINGTON – The death toll from Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand rose to eight on Friday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said, and he warned that the number was expected to increase as emergency crews make contact with hundreds of cut-off communities.
The cyclone, which hit the uppermost region of New Zealand’s North Island on Sunday before making its way down the east coast, cut off entire towns, washed away farms, bridges and livestock, as well as inundated homes, leaving people stranded on rooftops.
“We do need to brace ourselves for the fact that there are likely more fatalities from this across the country. And the true extent of that, we won’t know for a while,” Mr Hipkins said.
As at Friday afternoon, just over 4,500 people had been registered with the police as being out of touch with friends or family since the cyclone hit. Police believe most of them simply do not have access to communication networks.
“This is undoubtedly the biggest natural disaster that we’ve seen probably this century,” Mr Hipkins said. “The scale of the damage is considerable because it covers such a large geographical area.”
Submerged farms could have an impact on the supply of fruit and vegetables in several regions, he said.
Two temporary morgues have been set up in the Hawke’s Bay region, one of the worst-hit areas. The region is largely rural but includes the cities of Napier and Hastings as well as the town of Wairoa.
Communication and access to several areas remain difficult, with about 62,000 properties still without power.
A specialist team from Australia has arrived to help with the rescue and relief effort, Mr Hipkins said.
Convoys of trucks carrying essential items such as food, water, medicine and fuel are making their way into remote areas, and the New Zealand Defence Force is using ships to transport needed items to areas on the east coast.
In Hawke’s Bay, helicopters and boats were still going out to check on people in isolated communities while search and rescue teams were continuing to operate.
The weather has started to improve, with clear skies largely forecast for much of the North Island over the weekend. REUTERS
