Emergency declared in Auckland due to floods

A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, due to heavy rain and widespread flooding. The rain caused houses to shift, traffic to stall, and power to be cut off to homes and businesses.

The New Zealand Defence Force is helping with evacuations, as fire crews have received over 1,000 calls for assistance. The Elton John concert, which was expected to be attended by 40,000 fans, was also cancelled due to the heavy rain.

Videos and pictures shared online showed people trapped in waist-deep floodwater, rescuers carrying out evacuations on kayaks, and supermarkets flooded with grocery items floating in the aisles. Mayor Wayne Brown stated, “The infrastructure and emergency services have been overwhelmed by the impacts of the storm.”

Due to the inclement weather, transportation services such as flights, trains and ferries going in and around Auckland have experienced delays or cancellations. Floods have also caused disruptions on major roads, leading to long traffic jams and multiple accidents. The national weather agency predicts that heavy rainfall will continue to affect various regions of Auckland for the next five days.