A powerful storm caused flooding, landslides, and blackouts in New Zealand on Sunday (March 12), leaving thousands of homes without power, emergency services officials said.
Winds of more than 100 km (62 miles per hour) toppled trees and power lines. Heavy rain caused flash floods, which closed roads and inundated homes in Auckland, the country’s largest city, officials said. There were no reports of injury.
Shop owner Robert D’Cruze said he had delayed buying insurance for his shop and that he was now counting the cost.
“No, unfortunately that’s the problem because I opened the shop one month and I thought I’m going to do the insurance later on, you know,” D’Cruze told local media.
Nearly 3,000 homes were without power on Sunday evening, according to New Zealand electricity grid operator Vector.
Homeowner Warren Crowe’s property was left saturated by floodwater.
“It was probably about 6 inches when I left the house to go to higher ground but when I opened the door, it just came rushing in,” Crowe told TVNZ.
Ten people were rescued from rising water levels in Auckland and 321 properties were flooded, the New Zealand Fire Service said.
Storms have hit large parts of the upper North Island for the past five days.
(REUTERS)