New Zealand's North Island Braces for Severe Weather Onslaught

New Zealand's North Island is facing severe weather conditions with heavy rain and severe gales causing power outages and road collapses. One death has been linked to the floods, prompting emergencies in affected areas. Authorities are addressing the damage and assessing structural stability across the region.

New Zealand faces a severe weather crisis as its North Island braces for intensifying heavy rain and gales. Authorities have linked the death of one individual to the ongoing floods, leading to power outages, road collapses, and home evacuations across affected areas.

State of emergency has been declared for Otorohanga district as heavy rains are expected to hit hardest on late Sunday, softening conditions by Monday. The weather, which started worsening on Friday, has wreaked havoc, prompting geotechnical assessments of infrastructure safety in the region.

In addition to the tragic loss of life over the weekend, around 80 people have been evacuated, and thousands are still without power. Social media portrays the devastating scenes of submerged neighbourhoods and demolished roads once floodwaters subsided.

(With inputs from agencies.)