Status: 02/16/2023 08:26 a.m
New Zealand has reported a fifth fatality from Tropical Storm Gabrielle. The number of victims could still rise, according to the police. The weather service warns of further heavy rains for many parts of the country.
The death toll from tropical cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand has risen to five. Another person was recovered dead from the floods near the town of Gisborne in the north-east of the North Island, the police said. But the number of victims could still rise. Numerous people have not yet been contacted, said police spokeswoman Jeanette Park.
Communication with some of the hard-hit areas continues to be difficult because of disrupted cell phone reception. “The destruction is incredible,” Park said after visiting the disaster area. “When you see it, you just can’t believe it.”
The weather service predicted further precipitation and thunderstorms for many parts of the country. The weather should only calm down across the country from the weekend, MetService said on Twitter.
After Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand, the death toll rises to five
Tagesschau 6:30 a.m., February 16, 2023
“We’re trying to understand the scale”
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins also got an idea of the situation on site. “The damage is huge and we’re just trying to understand the full extent,” he said. “We will see more weather events like this in the future and we need to be prepared,” he said.
The tropical storm had moved over the North Island of the Pacific state since Monday with wind speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour. It brought heavy rain and waves up to eleven meters high.
The storm and its aftermath had collapsed houses and destroyed roads. More than 10,000 people had to leave their homes, some of whom the army had to take down from the roofs of their flooded houses with helicopters. In many places, residents were cut off from the power supply. Because of the massive damage, the government declared a national emergency on Tuesday – only for the third time in the country’s history.