By Blessing Nweke
A state of emergency has been declared in Wellington after torrential rain triggered widespread flash flooding across New Zealand’s North Island, submerging roads, uprooting trees, and forcing evacuations.
Mayor Andrew Little said the capital recorded an unprecedented 77mm (3 inches) of rainfall in less than an hour on Monday, overwhelming drainage systems and causing landslides in several suburbs. Dramatic footage circulating online shows vehicles nearly submerged and debris scattered across flooded streets.
Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors as heavy rain is expected to continue for at least another 36 hours. Flights at Wellington Airport have been disrupted, while multiple schools have closed as a precaution.
Emergency services confirmed that more than a dozen people have been evacuated so far. A 60-year-old man has been reported missing in the Karori suburb, though no fatalities have been confirmed.
The severe weather comes less than a week after Cyclone Vaianu swept through the region, leaving the ground saturated and increasing the خطر of landslides.
“The wild weather continues. We’ve had flooding, slips and evacuations,” Little said in a video statement, warning that floodwaters had been strong enough to move cars and dislodge manhole covers.
Residents described chaotic scenes overnight. One Kingston local told Radio New Zealand he narrowly escaped after a landslide buried a nearby road, calling the घटना “a big event” that would have been unsurvivable at close range.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell warned that the worst conditions were still to come, urging residents to prepare early if evacuation becomes necessary.
Officials have advised against non-essential travel and encouraged those in flood-prone areas to temporarily relocate, while shelters have been opened across the city.
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