CNN
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New Zealand officials said Monday after “unprecedented” rainfall caused devastating flooding, killing at least four people and forcing hundreds to flee the flood-hit Auckland city. We warned that the situation was likely to get worse.
On Monday, New Zealand’s weather agency issued a red heavy rain warning, the highest level reserved for extreme weather events over the next few days.
“Tuesday is the day we are most concerned,” MetService told CNN. And it seems.”
MetService meteorologist Luis Fernandez said heavy rains would put Auckland at risk of landslide-like landslides.
“When such a severe rainfall event occurs, rivers can rise rapidly and roads can literally collapse or be covered, shutting off communities,” he said.
An estimated 240 millimeters (9.8 inches) of rain — the equivalent of an entire summer’s rain — fell in Auckland on Friday, making it the wettest day on record.
For years, scientists have warned that the climate crisis will amplify extreme weather events, making them more deadly and frequent. On Sunday evening, New Zealand’s Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw, highlighted the link and thanked those supporting flood relief efforts in a “This is climate change” post. bottom.
The northern part of New Zealand’s North Island is also seeing more rain than usual due to cycles in the Pacific La Niña climate pattern. This affects the weather around the world.
According to MetService, another 80-120mm of precipitation is expected in the next few days.
Auckland’s deputy mayor, Desiree Simpson, told CNN on Sunday that this amount of rain is “unprecedented for Auckland.”
“Since we started measuring rainfall, we’ve had more rain in four hours than ever before in Auckland’s history,” she said.
Meanwhile, New Zealand police said on Sunday they believed they had found the body of a man who was declared missing after being swept away by floodwaters on Friday.
A drone operator found the body in the Wanwelo district of south Auckland, about a kilometer (0.6 miles) downstream from where he disappeared, police said.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday that “across Auckland there has been tremendous damage”.
“Obviously a lot of homes were damaged not just by the floods, but by massive ground motions,” he told public broadcaster TVNZ. About 350 people were in need of emergency accommodation, he added. rice field.
The rain also caused widespread travel disruption over the weekend.
More than 2,000 people stayed in the airport terminals on Friday due to flooding, according to the airport. Domestic flights resumed on Saturday, but the international terminal was not operational until Sunday.
All classes in Auckland have been canceled until February 7, Auckland MP Chlöe Swarbrick said on Monday.
