According to the government, the severe damage caused by tropical cyclone Gabrielle on New Zealand’s North Island will have far-reaching consequences for the entire country.
Reason: Hawke’s Bay, in particular, with its many orchards and farms, is critical to the country’s food security.
“We must prepare because this will have an impact on parts of our food supply,” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said after visiting the flooded area on Friday. “I witnessed firsthand today the serious consequences “Gabrielle” will have for our country.”
Meanwhile, the death toll has risen to at least eight people. The media even reported nine deaths in the afternoon, but there was no confirmation from authorities at the time.
Since the beginning of the week, the tropical storm has wreaked havoc on large parts of the North Island with hurricane-force winds and heavy rain. Many homes, roads, and bridges have been destroyed, as have power and communication lines. At times, the water was so high in some areas that only the roofs of the houses were visible. When the water receded, massive amounts of mud remained in many structures. On Tuesday, the government declared a national emergency for the third time in the country’s history.
Six of the fatalities, according to police, occurred in and around Hawke’s Bay. Two firefighters were killed in a landslide near Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. However, the emergency services have expressed grave concern about approximately 4,500 people who have yet to be contacted. Because communication with some cut-off areas remained disrupted. Tens of thousands of people have also been without power for several days. “There are so many flaws in the system that it will be difficult to repair,” said Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty.
On Friday, the village of Muriwai received evacuation orders. On Twitter, the Auckland emergency service warned of a landslide risk. Residents were told to leave everything behind and take only their pets with them as they walked to safety. The majority of evacuation centers have already been completed.
After the local sewage treatment plant failed in the aftermath of the floods, there was almost no drinking water left in the city of Gisborne in the Pacific state’s northeast. “This is a major crisis; our city has no water,” the local civil defense said. “Don’t turn on the water.”
Navy ships, Air Force transport planes, and truck convoys were all on their way to remote locations. According to Darryn Webb, a military spokesman, 700 soldiers have been deployed, with more on standby to assist in the coming days. Rescue teams attempted to reach several communities that were further isolated from the outside world due to impassable roads. Australia sent a team of experts to assist in the search for missing people. Given the magnitude of the disaster, Hipkins stressed that New Zealand faces a monumental task.
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