Heavy rain has caused flooding in eastern parts of New Zealand’s North Island, prompting evacuations and raising concerns for areas already hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle last year.
Authorities in Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti regions have established emergency centres and urged residents to be prepared to evacuate if needed.
Rainfall may have eased, but it’s expected to continue until Friday evening, the Tararua civil defense service posted on Facebook. The post “Crews are deployed, assessing road damage, checking river levels, and bridges.”
The Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti regions were severely impacted by flooding in 2023 following Cyclone Gabrielle. The full extent of the current damage is being assessed.
