New Zealand’s weather bureau has issued a warning for heavy rain and strong winds across the country’s North Island tonight.
The warning comes a day after floods caused power outages, road collapses and home evacuations.
Authorities said a man was killed yesterday after his car became submerged in floodwaters on a highway.
MetService said there was a “threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding and slips” as a deepening low-pressure system east of the North Island brings heavy rain and severe gales.
Swells in Wellington could rise to 7 metres this evening and overnight, MetService says. (RNZ: Reece Baker)
The worst weather is forecast to hit later tonight, local time, followed by a slow easing of conditions tomorrow.
A red heavy rain warning, the highest level of warning, has been issued by MetService for Manawatū, Rangitīkei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of State Highway One.
Several more weather warnings and watches have been issued for the east and lower North Island and the top of the South Island.
All regional flights out of Wellington have been cancelled due to prevailing high winds.
A warning for swells of up to 7 metres, which covers the coast from Cape to Turakirae Head, remains in place until midday Monday, local time.
Air NZ has cancelled all regional flights to and from Wellington for the rest of Sunday, due to the storm. (RNZ: Boris Jancic)
Councils issue state of emergency
The Manawatū, Rangitīkei, Tararua, Waipā and Ōtorohanga districts, in the North Island, are under states of emergency.
The Ōtorohanga District Council said on Facebook that geotechnical teams “spent the night assessing slips and checking the structural stability of roads” in the area.
Manawatū District Council advised people to take the declaration seriously, make sure devices were charged and have a battery-powered radio at the ready to listen to news updates.
The MetService forecasts some areas should expect 140 to 180mm of rain across Sunday and Monday. (Supplied: MetService)
More than 6,780 properties remained without power on the North Island, energy company Powerco said on its website.
Yesterday, a man died in his car in floodwaters, authorities said, adding that about 80 people were evacuated to an emergency centre.
Images shared on social media showed vast semi-rural neighbourhoods submerged and collapsed sections of road where floodwaters had receded.
Six people were killed in January after heavy rains triggered a landslide at Mount Maunganui on the North Island’s east coast, bringing down soil and rubble on a site crowded with families on summer holidays.
RNZ/Reuters