Cyclone Gabrielle leaves 4 dead in New Zealand, 'grave concerns' about several more missing
Cyclone Gabrielle has brought days of torrential rain and ferocious wind to New Zealand's North Island. Dozens have been rescued from rooftops amid rising floodwaters that have reached as high as a second story. Rescue crews are scrambling to look for several who remain missing for whom they have "grave concerns."
Four dead, thousands missing in New Zealand following Cyclone Gabrielle
At least four people have died in New Zealand in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, local reports citing police said on Wednesday, February 15. Police said a further 1,400 people were
AUCKLAND, New Zealand – At least four people have died, including a child and a firefighter, in New Zealand as the island nation continues to deal with destructive impacts from Cyclone Gabrielle.
The cyclone has brought days of torrential rain and ferocious wind to New Zealand's North Island. Dozens have been rescued from rooftops amid rising floodwaters that have reached as high as a second story, while roads have been washed out and communication lines severed.
Between 6 and 12 inches of rain fell across the North Island as winds gusted to 55 to 80 mph along the mainland and 80 to 100 mph on some of the more exposed islands. Channel Island recorded a gust of 101 mph.
An aerial photo taken on Feb. 14, 2023, shows flooding caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in Awatoto, New Zealand, near the city of Napier.
(STR / AFP / Getty Images)
According to New Zealand police, more than 1,400 people have been reported as "uncontactable" so far, especially on the North Island, which took the brunt of the storm. Police said they expect that number to vastly decrease once communication lines are restored and duplicate names are removed but fear there are still many missing people.
"While we expect a large number of the reports to be the result of communication lines being down, Police can confirm there are several people missing in the Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti areas, for whom we have grave concerns," New Zealand Police said Wednesday.
A child was found dead after being washed away amid rising waters in Hawke's Bay, police said. Their age has not been given.
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Images from Labour MP Kiri Allan show a damaged Hikuwai Bridge north of Gisborne on Wednesday.
In Muriwai, a volunteer firefighter died after he and another colleague were struck by a mudslide that crashed into two homes where they were responding to a call for flooding help on Tuesday. The surviving firefighter was trapped but eventually freed and taken to a local hospital, but the second firefighter's body was found buried in the rubble.
A woman was found dead in a separate mudslide near her rural home, while a fourth body was found washed ashore amid flooding in Napier, police said.
Cyclone Gabrielle an ‘unprecedented weather event’
New Zealand's Royal Air Force rescued 23 people and five dogs trapped on the rooftops of flooded homes in Hastings, with another 50 to 60 residents needing help evacuating.
A person is rescued from a rooftop of a flooded home in Hastings, New Zealand, during heavy rain from Cyclone Gabrielle.
(New Zealand Defence Force / FOX Weather)
So far, more than 10,500 people have been evacuated from their homes, and some 160,000 in the region remain without power, according to the New Zealand Herald.
"This is an unprecedented weather event that is having major impacts across much of the North Island," said Kieran McAnulty, New Zealand's Minister for Emergency Management.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins declared a national state of emergency Tuesday – just the third in the nation's history.
"That means we’ll be throwing everything at this to make sure that we provide as much support to the response as possible," Hipkins said in a news conference Tuesday.
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Image 1 of 15A man kayaks across a flooded street in Auckland, New Zealand, Feb. 14, 2023. The New Zealand government declared a National State of Emergency on Tuesday before Cyclone Gabrielle unleashed its full fury. This is only the third time in New Zealand history that a national state of emergency has been declared. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 2 of 15An aerial photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows flooding caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in Awatoto, near the city of Napier. (STR/AFP)
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Image 3 of 15People carry a reminding sign on a flooded road in Auckland, New Zealand, Feb. 14, 2023. The New Zealand government declared a National State of Emergency on Tuesday before Cyclone Gabrielle unleashes its full fury. This is only the third time in New Zealand history that a national state of emergency has been declared. (Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 4 of 15A photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows flooding along Marine Parade in the North Island city of Napier. - New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on February 14 as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. - New Zealand OUT (Photo by AFP) / New Zealand OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 5 of 15An aerial photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows flooding caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in Awatoto, near the city of Napier. - New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on February 14 as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. - New Zealand OUT (Photo by AFP) / New Zealand OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 6 of 15TOPSHOT - A photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows a boy skimming on floodwaters along Marine Parade in the North Island city of Napier. - New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on February 14 as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. - New Zealand OUT (Photo by AFP) / New Zealand OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 7 of 15A photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows flooding along Marine Parade in the North Island city of Napier. - New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on February 14 as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. - New Zealand OUT (Photo by AFP) / New Zealand OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 8 of 15AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: A large landslide threatens houses in the coastal suburb of Muriwai following Cyclone Gabrielle on February 14, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency with flooding and landslides devastating several communities. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 9 of 15An aerial photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows the Waiohiki bridge and surrounds inundated by the Tutaekuri River after Cyclone Gabrielle made landfall near the city of Napier. - New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on February 14 as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. - New Zealand OUT (Photo by AFP) / New Zealand OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 10 of 15A damaged house following Cyclone Gabrielle in Auckland, New Zealand, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency as Cyclone Gabrielle sweeps across the nations North Island, causing floods, landslips and power outages. Photographer: Brendon O'Hagan/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 11 of 15NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: Redcliffe Bridge is closed off as debris piles up along the Tutaekuri River in the suburb of Taradale on February 14, 2023 in Napier, New Zealand. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency with flooding and landslides devastating several communities. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 12 of 15NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: Redcliffe Bridge is closed off as debris piles up along the Tutaekuri River in the suburb of Taradale on February 14, 2023 in Napier, New Zealand. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency with flooding and landslides devastating several communities. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 13 of 15NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: Houses in Waiohiki are flooded on February 14, 2023 in Napier, New Zealand. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency with flooding and landslides devastating several communities. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 14 of 15AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: A house sits destroyed at the bottom of a large landslide on Domain Crescent in Muriwai followingf Cyclone Gabrielle on February 14, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency with flooding and landslides devastating several communities. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) ( )
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Image 15 of 15NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 14: A fallen tree damages a building at the EIT in Taradale on February 14, 2023 in Napier, New Zealand. New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency with flooding and landslides devastating several communities. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images) ( )
NEW ZEALAND DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY IN WAKE OF HISTORIC CYCLONE GABRIELLE
But travel was difficult as parts of the North Island were severed from the rest of the nation, especially the Tairawhiti area, which was hit particularly hard. All roads leading into the region were closed due to flooding or damage Tuesday, and internet and cell phone service were down after fiber-optic cables were damaged by the cyclone, according to Tairawhiti Civil Defense.
"It’s wild out there! Tairāwhiti is taking a pounding," the Tairawhiti Civil Defence Emergency agency said. "It's extremely hazardous everywhere!"
Drone video shows New Zealand flooded following Cyclone Gabrielle
Drone video shows parts of New Zealand flooded and damaged following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Three main rivers in the Tairawhiti area have reached record levels. The Te Arai river reached about 15 feet – its highest level since records began in 1983, breaking the previous record crest by about 4.5 feet.
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Auckland already has half its annual rainfall average
Cyclone Gabrielle, similar in structure to hurricanes and tropical storms that strike the U.S., approached New Zealand's North Coast on Monday with the powerful center of the storm coming within a few miles of land on Tuesday.
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The storm center never made landfall and instead drifted to the southeast but was close enough to batter the island with powerful winds and torrential rain from the storm's feeder bands.
For Auckland, it's the second bout of heavy rain and flooding in the last few weeks.
MAJOR FLOODING SWAMPS NEW ZEALAND AFTER SUMMER'S WORTH OF RAIN FALLS IN 15 HOURS
The New Zealand MetService said Auckland has already received over 21 inches of rain this year, about half its expected annual rainfall. Gabrielle brought about 5 to 6 inches in just 12 hours.
Gabrielle continued to slowly move away from New Zealand Thursday morning. However, forecasters warned lingering heavy rain and blustery winds would still batter the region Thursday as outer bands of the storm continued to swipe the island. Drier weather was expected Friday.
To top off the week, the area near Gisborne also experienced a magnitude 4.4 earthquake centered not far from town, but no damage or injuries were reported. A magnitude 5.7 quake also hit the Cook Strait on Tuesday with no significant impacts.