Killer Flooding Strikes North Island of New Zealand!

Written by Team Morecast

 

Days of torrential rainfall have lead to major flooding over the North Island of New Zealand. The capital city of Auckland was especially hard hit, recording their heaviest rain event since 1985. Copious rainfall falling over a short duration has resulted in flash flooding and landslides. The death toll has risen to four as of Sunday night with more heavy rain on the way.

 

 

 

One station in the Auckland region has reported almost 600 mm in the past four days, comparable to a half-year’s worth of normal rainfall. Auckland itself received 75% of its normal summertime rainfall in 15 hours. Numerous weather stations in the city reported their wettest day ever. The torrential rains actually flooded the ground floor of New Zealand International Airport (see video above), grounding hundreds of flights and leaving thousands stranded. Hundreds of homes and businesses have been severely damaged if not made uninhabitable.

 

 

Auckland schools are closed for the next week as 20 schools were heavily damaged and many roads remain impassable. A few whole communities are almost completely cut off. A state of emergency remains in effect for Auckland and other nearby regions. Preliminary estimates are that the flooding will cost the New Zealand economy up to a half a billion dollars. Low pressure will continue to hover near the northern coast through the next few days, prolonging the threat for heavy rain. Lead photo courtesy Flickr user Tatters.

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