NZ Flooding: North Island at Risk After Rain Death 🌧️

New Zealand’s North Island is bracing for more flooding after heavy rainfall caused power outages, road collapses, and evacuations. One man died Saturday when his vehicle was submerged on a highway.

North Island Flood Threat

A deepening low-pressure system east of the North Island is bringing heavy rain and severe gales to several regions, creating a “threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding and slips,” according to the country’s weather bureau.

The worst weather is forecast to hit late Sunday, with conditions expected to slowly ease on Monday. Heavy rain began impacting large areas of the country on Friday, triggering the current floods.

Authorities have declared a state of emergency for the districts of Waipa and Otorohanga, an agricultural region with a population of about 10,000 people located 180km (112 miles) south of Auckland.

As of Sunday, approximately 4,291 properties on the North Island were without power, Powerco reported on its website.

On Saturday, a man died after his car was caught in floodwaters. Around 80 people were evacuated to an emergency centre. Images circulating on social media depict widespread flooding in semirural areas and collapsed road sections.

Extreme rainfall is becoming more common and intense due to human-caused climate breakdown, particularly in Europe, most of Asia, central and eastern North America, and parts of South America, Africa and Australia, as warmer air can hold more water vapour. Flooding frequency and severity are likely increased in these locations, though also affected by factors like flood defenses and land use.

In January, six people were killed after heavy rains triggered a landslide at Mount Maunganui on the North Island’s east coast.