Cyclone Gabrielle: Thousands left without power, flights cancelled, emergency declared
State of emergency declared
A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland, Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Ōpōtiki, Waikato, Hauraki and Whakatane. The citizens have been advised to evacuate the low-lying areas and seek protection in the government-authorised rescue shelters.
500 flight cancellations
As New Zealand braced for Cyclone Gabrielle, Air New Zealand cancelled all domestic flights to and from Auckland. Several international flights were also cancelled, taking the total to over 500, impacting 29,000 customers.
58,000 households without power
The cyclone has been moving south. As of the last update, it had unloaded more than 220 mm of rains in and around Auckland. The authorities stated that 58,000 households were without power.
New Zealand Cricket team stranded
New Zealand Cricket on Monday confirmed that Cyclone Gabrielle had prevented the squad from reaching Mount Maunganui, the venue for the first Test against England. Though Mount Maunganui has not been affected adversely by the cyclone, the inclement weather forced players to use the Bay Oval Indoor Grass Training Facility.
Aid package announced
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Monday announced a NZ$11.5 million ($7.25 million) package to support community groups such as food banks and to groups impacted by the floods.
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