Auckland is being hit hard by fresh spells of heavy downpour yet again weeks after a massive deluge caused havoc in New Zealand's largest city. Several sites in the city on Friday (February 24) received over 100 mm of rain in six hours, "most of which came from intense thunderstorms moving through", as per the weather office that had earlier in the day sounded a severe storm warning. The situation is likely to ease by Saturday morning. North Island, home to a third of country's population, was among other areas that have been affected. "For southern Northland (from about Whangarei southwards), and Auckland including Great Barrier Island, a few of the thunderstorms could be severe with localised downpours of 25-50 mm/h. The risk is easing from the north this evening and should have cleared most of the area by midnight, but some risk remains in the south until early Saturday morning," read a statement by the weather office.&nbsp;

Also watch: Another devastating calamity hits New Zealand

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<h2>Impact of severe storm in Auckland</h2>

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"Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/ or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain," the Meteorological Service further highlighted. While locals were advised against driving in the hazardous conditions, some motorists were reportedly trapped in the affected parts. Around 30 students and their parents were stranded at a school in Northland as heavy rain caused flooding, New Zealand Herald, a local daily, reported, which also pointed that locals in Auckland were warned about "two months worth of rain".

In a tweet, Auckland Emergency Management stressed: "There is no access between Auckland and Northland due to road closures on State Highway 1. We are urging people to avoid unnecessary travel and shelter at home. Please don't attempt to drive through flood affected areas, it is not safe. (sic)"

Also read| <a href="wionews.com/world/new-zealand-cyclone-gabrielle-damages-could-cost-over-8-billion-state-of-emergency-extended-564000">New Zealand: Cyclone Gabrielle damages could cost over $8 billion; state of emergency extended</a>

This comes just two weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand, nearly causing widespread havoc across the country's North Island, leaving at least 11 people dead and displacing thousands.More than 50,000 homes were left without power amid a massive damage to public infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Auckland is being hit hard by fresh spells of heavy downpour yet again weeks after a massive deluge caused havoc in New Zealand's largest city. Several sites in the city on Friday (February 24) received over 100 mm of rain in six hours, "most of which came from intense thunderstorms moving through", as per the weather office that had earlier in the day sounded a severe storm warning.

Auckland is being hit hard by fresh spells of heavy downpour yet again weeks after a massive deluge caused havoc in New Zealand's largest city. Several sites in the city on Friday (February 24) received over 100 mm of rain in six hours, "most of which came from intense thunderstorms moving through", as per the weather office that had earlier in the day sounded a severe storm warning. The situation is likely to ease by Saturday morning. North Island, home to a third of country's population, was among other areas that have been affected. "For southern Northland (from about Whangarei southwards), and Auckland including Great Barrier Island, a few of the thunderstorms could be severe with localised downpours of 25-50 mm/h. The risk is easing from the north this evening and should have cleared most of the area by midnight, but some risk remains in the south until early Saturday morning," read a statement by the weather office. Also watch: Another devastating calamity hits New Zealand Video Embed Code: × Impact of severe storm in Auckland "Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/ or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain," the Meteorological Service further highlighted. While locals were advised against driving in the hazardous conditions, some motorists were reportedly trapped in the affected parts. Around 30 students and their parents were stranded at a school in Northland as heavy rain caused flooding, New Zealand Herald, a local daily, reported, which also pointed that locals in Auckland were warned about "two months worth of rain". In a tweet, Auckland Emergency Management stressed: "There is no access between Auckland and Northland due to road closures on State Highway 1. We are urging people to avoid unnecessary travel and shelter at home. Please don't attempt to drive through flood affected areas, it is not safe. (sic)" Also read| New Zealand: Cyclone Gabrielle damages could cost over $8 billion; state of emergency extended This comes just two weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand, nearly causing widespread havoc across the country's North Island, leaving at least 11 people dead and displacing thousands.More than 50,000 homes were left without power amid a massive damage to public infrastructure. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Auckland hit hard yet again, thunderstorm wreaks havoc: '2 months worth of rain'

As New Zealand continues to reel from the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle which has killed 11 people while authorities are still looking for thousands of others who remain missing a week after what the country’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called the biggest natural disaster this century. Additionally, the officials in Wellington, on Monday (February 20) warned that the total cost of this unprecedented storm will cross $8 billion.&nbsp;

Hipkins has also extended the national state of emergency declared in New Zealand for seven more days for recovery and relief efforts after the cyclone hit the North Island’s northernmost region on February 12 and headed towards the east coast leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. He previously also said that the storm has caused damage “on a scale not seen in New Zealand for at least a generation”.

Meanwhile, the country’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson, who has also been appointed as the Cyclone Recovery Minister, on Monday, said that the cyclone could cost the government around $8.42 billion (NZ$13.5 billion). Recently, at a press conference, Hipkins announced a $187 million (NZ$300 million) cyclone relief package which would, “reconnect our communities and future-proof our nation's infrastructure” and said that the investment will be “significant and it will require hard decisions”, reported Reuters.

He added, “We won’t shy away from those hard decisions and are working on a suite of measures to support New Zealanders by building back better, building back safer and building back smarter.” The aforementioned relief package would provide NZ$250 million to fix critical roads in the cyclone-hit region while the other NZ$50 million will be used as emergency support for businesses.&nbsp;

The police have also confirmed the death of 11 people in North Island’s Hawke’s Bay while some 2,200 people remain unaccounted for. Speaking to the AM show, on Monday, New Zealand police commissioner Andrew Coster said that the death toll is expected to rise. He also noted the difficulty with communicating and said it is hindering their efforts to make contact with affected people.&nbsp;

In a bid to bridge this gap, the country also has also deployed 60 Elon Musk-owned Starlink satellites while 30 more are on the way, to contact 15,000 residents of the cyclone-hit region as thousands still remain without power. Meanwhile, search and rescue teams continue to work in areas which have been damaged because of Cyclone Gabrielle, reported Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
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As New Zealand continues to reel from the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle which has killed 11 people while authorities are still looking for thousands of others who remain missing a week after what the country’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called the biggest natural disaster this century.

As New Zealand continues to reel from the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle which has killed 11 people while authorities are still looking for thousands of others who remain missing a week after what the country’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called the biggest natural disaster this century. Additionally, the officials in Wellington, on Monday (February 20) warned that the total cost of this unprecedented storm will cross $8 billion. Hipkins has also extended the national state of emergency declared in New Zealand for seven more days for recovery and relief efforts after the cyclone hit the North Island’s northernmost region on February 12 and headed towards the east coast leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. He previously also said that the storm has caused damage “on a scale not seen in New Zealand for at least a generation”. Meanwhile, the country’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson, who has also been appointed as the Cyclone Recovery Minister, on Monday, said that the cyclone could cost the government around $8.42 billion (NZ$13.5 billion). Recently, at a press conference, Hipkins announced a $187 million (NZ$300 million) cyclone relief package which would, “reconnect our communities and future-proof our nation's infrastructure” and said that the investment will be “significant and it will require hard decisions”, reported Reuters. He added, “We won’t shy away from those hard decisions and are working on a suite of measures to support New Zealanders by building back better, building back safer and building back smarter.” The aforementioned relief package would provide NZ$250 million to fix critical roads in the cyclone-hit region while the other NZ$50 million will be used as emergency support for businesses. The police have also confirmed the death of 11 people in North Island’s Hawke’s Bay while some 2,200 people remain unaccounted for. Speaking to the AM show, on Monday, New Zealand police commissioner Andrew Coster said that the death toll is expected to rise. He also noted the difficulty with communicating and said it is hindering their efforts to make contact with affected people. In a bid to bridge this gap, the country also has also deployed 60 Elon Musk-owned Starlink satellites while 30 more are on the way, to contact 15,000 residents of the cyclone-hit region as thousands still remain without power. Meanwhile, search and rescue teams continue to work in areas which have been damaged because of Cyclone Gabrielle, reported Reuters. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

New Zealand: Cyclone Gabrielle damages could cost over $8 billion; state of emergency extended

The death toll in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand has climbed to five and there are fears that the number of deaths could climb further. The police said on Thursday (February 16) that a person is believed to have died after being caught in flood water in the Gisborne region.

The death toll in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand has climbed to five and there are fears that the number of deaths could climb further. The police said on Thursday (February 16) that a person is believed to have died after being caught in flood water in the Gisborne region. Four other deaths have already been confirmed and the police expressed grave concerns about missing people. A report by the news agency AFP on Thursday said that more heavy rain was forecast for the badly-hit eastern areas of New Zealand- where the disaster has severed roads, collapsed houses and cut power. Government officials estimate 10,500 people have so far been displaced with 9,000 made homeless in eastern regions alone. ALSO READ | More than 58,000 left without power as Cyclone Gabrielle batters New Zealand New Zealand is currently under a state of national emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle bore down on its northern coast last Sunday (February 12). The cyclone has faded into the Pacific but the MetService warned of further downpours on Thursday of up to 40 millimetres per hour in the eastern regions that are already flooded, the report said. Naval vessels, helicopters deployed for rescue ops Two large naval vessels and a C-130 Hercules transport plane have been deployed to deliver thousands of litres of water along with personnel and several mobile water treatment plants to hard-hit areas. On the other hand, NH90 helicopters have brought in supplies and rescued hundreds of people stranded on their rooftops. The east-coast city of Napier was cut-off again on Thursday after experts detected damage to the last useable bridge linking its residents with the rest of New Zealand. Isolated residents had been told not to leave their houses unless "absolutely essential" and to restrict water use. This is a traumatic event: New Zealand PM On Thursday, New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins warned citizens of a long, gruelling recovery ahead. "This is a traumatic event. It's a very big challenge to restore infrastructure as fast as we can, but we have to acknowledge that we are in for a bumpy ride," Hipkins said, AFP reported. He added, "There are no overnight fixes. We could have the bulldozers working 24/7 and it would still take time to re-establish road links." The Prime Minister also said on Thursday that his government was accepting offers of international assistance after such offers from the United States and other countries were initially set aside. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

New Zealand: Five dead in aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle; over 10,000 people displaced

New Zealand braces for the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Sunday (February 12) warning citizens to hunker down and prepare an evacuation plan. A report by the news agency AFP said that the cyclone is forecast to envelop the upper half of the North Island over 48 hours from Sunday evening.&nbsp; 
Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Hipkins said that everyone should be ready to face the threats posed by flooding, huge ocean swells, and strong winds.

"Our main message to people across the country is to please take the severe weather warning seriously and to make sure you're prepared," Hipkins said. He added that people should ensure they have their grab-and-go kits, and also ensure where they need to go in case they have to evacuate their homes.&nbsp;

Auckland city remains under a state of emergency as it faces another bout of heavy rainfall and severe winds, the AFP report said. On January 27, flash floods swamped Auckland resulting in four deaths and forcing thousands from their homes.&nbsp;

On Sunday morning, the MetService weather bureau measured wind gusts of up to 140 kilometres per hour (86 miles per hour) in northern New Zealand. The weather bureau said, "This system poses a very high risk of extreme, impactful, and unprecedented weather over many regions of the North Island from Sunday to Tuesday."

Cyclone Gabrielle is also forecast to weaken slightly as it moves slowly south on Monday and Tuesday. Strong winds led to the closure of Auckland's Harbour Bridge on Sunday, while most flights into and out of Auckland Airport on Monday had already been cancelled.&nbsp;

The report further said Gabrielle was downgraded from a tropical cyclone as it approached New Zealand. On Saturday night, the cyclone passed over Australia's remote Norfolk Island. There were reports of downed trees and power cuts but no significant damage.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Zealand braces for the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Sunday (February 12) warning citizens to hunker down and prepare an evacuation plan.

New Zealand braces for the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Sunday (February 12) warning citizens to hunker down and prepare an evacuation plan. A report by the news agency AFP said that the cyclone is forecast to envelop the upper half of the North Island over 48 hours from Sunday evening. Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Hipkins said that everyone should be ready to face the threats posed by flooding, huge ocean swells, and strong winds. "Our main message to people across the country is to please take the severe weather warning seriously and to make sure you're prepared," Hipkins said. He added that people should ensure they have their grab-and-go kits, and also ensure where they need to go in case they have to evacuate their homes. Auckland city remains under a state of emergency as it faces another bout of heavy rainfall and severe winds, the AFP report said. On January 27, flash floods swamped Auckland resulting in four deaths and forcing thousands from their homes. On Sunday morning, the MetService weather bureau measured wind gusts of up to 140 kilometres per hour (86 miles per hour) in northern New Zealand. The weather bureau said, "This system poses a very high risk of extreme, impactful, and unprecedented weather over many regions of the North Island from Sunday to Tuesday." Cyclone Gabrielle is also forecast to weaken slightly as it moves slowly south on Monday and Tuesday. Strong winds led to the closure of Auckland's Harbour Bridge on Sunday, while most flights into and out of Auckland Airport on Monday had already been cancelled. The report further said Gabrielle was downgraded from a tropical cyclone as it approached New Zealand. On Saturday night, the cyclone passed over Australia's remote Norfolk Island. There were reports of downed trees and power cuts but no significant damage. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

New Zealand braces for impact of Cyclone Gabrielle