Some areas of New Zealand were hit by heavy rains and winds on Friday, as a cold front moved east across the country. Authorities warned that weather conditions could worsen over the next 24 hours, causing floods and landslides, writes UNN with reference to Reuters.
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The northern regions of the country's South and North Islands could be severely affected by the bad weather, the country's meteorological office reported.
New Zealand's meteorological service reported that the wind would intensify from Friday afternoon, with gusts reaching 120 km/h in some regions. According to Heather Keats of the meteorological service, severe thunderstorms are possible later on Friday.
A local state of emergency has been declared in the Nelson-Tasman region for the second time in recent months. Authorities warn that river levels could rise rapidly, as the ground remains wet after floods late last month.
Motorists are urged to refrain from traveling, and authorities are asking residents of the Nelson-Tasman region to evacuate their homes if they feel unsafe.
"In these conditions, it's simply not worth taking risks," the Tasman District Council said on social media.
"We already have a number of roads closed... and we expect new closures in the coming hours due to trees falling due to strong winds and significant flooding," the authorities noted.
According to the local publication Stuff, about 100 homes in the Nelson-Tasman region have been evacuated, and there are reports of several people trapped in floodwaters. As of 7:30 PM local time, approximately 13,000 Network Tasman customers were without power, the electricity distributor reported. Northland, Auckland, Waikato, and Coromandel are under an orange heavy rain warning.
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