‘Wettest on record’: Torrential rains, flash floods claim lives in Auckland

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‘Wettest on record’: Torrential rains, flash floods claim lives in Auckland

By Sam McKeith
Updated

Residents of Auckland are bracing for more storms this weekend, after an unprecedented storm on Friday night killed at least three people, caused widespread floods, shut airports and also forced organisers to cancel a concert by Elton John.

One man was found dead in a flooded culvert, another in a car park, New Zealand media outlet Stuff reported. Another person died after a landslide hit a house in Remuera, an inner suburb of Auckland. A search was under way on Saturday for another man believed swept away, police said.

Scenes at Auckland Airport on Friday.

Scenes at Auckland Airport on Friday.Credit: Sarah Crouch/via Stuff

A state of emergency remained in place in the city of about1.6 million people on New Zealand’s North Island as the rains eased on Saturday after causing flooding in the north, north-west and west.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown made the state of emergency declaration on Friday due to the extent of the “damage, displacement and disruption” caused by the weather and the need for response agencies to draw on more powers.

“The region has experienced widespread damage from flooding and torrential rain, with reports of slips and inundation,” Brown said in a statement.

“Infrastructure and emergency services alike have been overwhelmed by the impacts of the storm.”

On Saturday, Auckland Emergency Management said daylight had revealed the first “true understanding” of the storm’s impact.

“Auckland was clobbered on Friday – Auckland’s wettest day on record – and today we start the clean-up,” the agency’s duty controller Andrew Clark said in a statement, urging caution for residents returning to homes to survey flood damage.

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Residents flee floodwaters in West Auckland.

Residents flee floodwaters in West Auckland.Credit: 1News

“We won’t start to get a good idea of numbers affected until later today and, even then, this will take time, with information still coming in and many assessments to complete,” he said.

Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty and new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins flew to Auckland on a military plane.

“Our priority is to ensure that Aucklanders are safe, that they’re housed and that they have access to the essential services that they need,” Hipkins said.

He said the city was in for a big clean-up and that people should remain indoors if possible. A break in the weather could prove temporary, with more heavy rain forecast.

“This is an unprecedented event in recent memory,” Hipkins said.

McAnulty said the government would provide of $NZ100,000 ($91,400) to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland.

“Rest assured that there will be additional funding allocated once we have a better assessment of the full extent of the damage and its cost,” he said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in a military plane bound for Auckland to assess the rain and flooding damage on Saturday.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in a military plane bound for Auckland to assess the rain and flooding damage on Saturday.Credit: AP

The nation’s weather forecaster issued another thunderstorm warning for Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui and Taranaki for Saturday afternoon and evening. Severe thunderstorms may produce downpours with intensities of 25 to 40mm per hour, the MetService said.

A severe thunderstorm watch was also in place for the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Taupo until 7am on Sunday.

Weather agencies said the storm broke records, with the volume of rain that would typically fall over the entire summer hitting in a single day. On Friday evening, more than 150 millimetres of rain fell in just three hours in some places.

Homes sit perched on the cliff in Massey, Auckland, after heavy rain washed the cliff edge away.

Homes sit perched on the cliff in Massey, Auckland, after heavy rain washed the cliff edge away.Credit: David White / Stuff

Videos on social media showed firefighters, police and defence force staff rescuing stranded people from flooded homes using ropes and rescue boats. No details were immediately available on how many people had been evacuated so far.

Major roads were also blocked by the floods, causing long traffic queues on highways. Police said they were working with Fire and Emergency New Zealand to respond to calls and asked people to stay off the roads if possible.

Auckland Airport is due to reopen on Saturday afternoon.

Auckland Airport is due to reopen on Saturday afternoon.Credit: Sarah Crouch/via Stuff

Auckland Airport said international and domestic flights would not resume until 5am and 7am Sunday respectively. The check-in area of the international terminal was knee-deep in water on Friday. The domestic airport resumed operations on Saturday afternoon.

Most of the 2000 people stranded at the airport overnight into Saturday were able to go home, as floodwaters subsided.

Hipkins said the government would provide as much support and help as possible. He said movement around Auckland was difficult and advised people to stay where they were if safe.

Some residents were told to leave and head to an evacuation centre in West Auckland.

Some residents were told to leave and head to an evacuation centre in West Auckland.Credit: 1news

Three evacuation centres were up and running, with one assisting at least 40 people.

Elton John’s concert in the city, which was expected to be attended by about 40,000 people on Friday, was cancelled. On his Instagram stories he said he had “no option”.

“This is a very difficult decision which doesn’t come lightly and I’m so desperately sorry to all my fans who bought tickets. Cancelling shows is always the very last resort but the safety of our team, the venue staff, and fans always comes first.”

Reuters, Stuff NZ, AP, with Laura Chung

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