Cyclone Gabriel crossed the Australian territory of Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea on Saturday night, although its most destructive winds missed the island
About 58,000 homes in New Zealand's Upper North Island are without power on Monday as the approach of Cyclone Gabriel brings strong winds, heavy rain and massive flooding to Auckland and surrounding areas. The cyclone is the second significant weather event to affect Auckland and the upper North Island in as many weeks. Auckland and surrounding areas were hit by record rainfall last month, causing floods and killing four people.
Gabriel crossed the Australian territory of Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea on Saturday night, although its most destructive winds missed the island.
Cyclone Gabriel strikes New Zealand: 10 points
It is now located just north of New Zealand, with weather forecasters expecting rain and winds to intensify as it nears land during Monday and Tuesday.
Winds of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) per hour have already been recorded at the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, while the northern city of Whangarei has received almost 180 millimeters (7 in) of rain in 24 hours.
Thousands of people in the region are without power while some people in Coromandel and Gisborne are already starting to evacuate. Auckland Council is closing all non-essential services for Monday and Tuesday.
Air New Zealand has canceled all domestic flights to and from Auckland until Tuesday afternoon, as well as several international flights. Some international routes will continue to operate, although may need to divert from Auckland. The carrier also canceled further domestic flights to the cities of Hamilton, Tauranga and Taupo.
The cyclone, which lay in the north-east of the country and was moving south, dumped more than 220 millimeters (9 in) of rain in areas north of Auckland, knocking out power to around 58,000 homes and closing many roads. was forced to do.
Many schools and local government facilities have closed in Auckland and the upper North Island and people are being told not to travel if possible. A state of emergency is in force in Auckland and at least four other regions.
Meteorological agency Metservice said the city of Whangarei, north of Auckland, recorded 100.5 mm of rain (4 inches) in the past 12 hours, while winds of 159 km per hour (100 mph) were recorded off the coast of Auckland. were done. ,
Northpower, which is responsible for networks in the northernmost regions, said almost half of their network had been damaged, a level not seen since a cyclone in 1988.
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