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State of emergency declared, New Zealand’s South Island battered by heavy storms

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

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After severe downpour that washed away Waiho River Bridge a state of emergency was declared in South Island, New Zealand.

 

In the West Coast region, north of the town of Hokitika as per the police an elderly woman’s body was washed up.

 

Senior Sergeant Peter Payne said that it seemed that the woman came out of the vehicle after she was driving and tried to cross the flood waters on foot.

 

 

By the area’s rainy standards according to the meteorologists the event was deemed as significant. Some pats were struck by more than 800 mm of rain in a once-in-a-century downpour.

 

In the remote town of  Haast around 50 tourists had to spent their night in a welfare centre which was set up in a town hall.

 

 

The flooding has affected dozens of homes and businesses in the region, extending upto 300 kilometres of highway.

 

 

Aerial photos showed bridge chunks of roads being swept away.

 

Dozens of homes and businesses in the region were affected by flooding, which also closed about 300 kilometres of highway, with aerial photos showing a bridge chunks of the roads being swept away.

 

 

Regional mayor Bruce Smith told in the local radio that keep people safe was their priority and a state of emergency was declared in the district.

 

 

He said that this was a 100-year event and there was a huge amount of rain, he has not seen all of the rivers impacted in Westland at exactly the same time.

 

Farmers on the south side of Waiho River attempted to self evacuate but the rising river levels were causing problems.

 

 

New Zealand’s Meteorological Service asked the residents to avoid all but essential travel and this was a significant event even by West Coast standards.

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