New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency for only the third time in its history after Cyclone Gabrielle swept across the country’s north, bringing widespread flooding and leaving tens of thousands of people without power.
Local media reports showed people stranded on their roofs amid the rising waters, houses swept away by landslides and roads submerged by water.
Kieran McAnulty, minister of emergency management, signed the declaration as emergency services struggled to cope. The decision means more resources can be directed to the six most badly affected regions.