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Banks Peninsula Cut Off as Slow-Moving Storm Shifts South in New Zealand

Officials are focused on restoring road access and essential services to isolated communities.

Overview

  • Authorities declared a local state of emergency on Banks Peninsula after about 300mm of rain in 48 hours flooded roads, with State Highway 75 closed and Akaroa isolated.
  • Boil-water notices were issued for Wainui and Little River, communication outages were reported due to a damaged fibre cable, and several hundred properties lost power overnight.
  • South Wairarapa’s Lake Ferry Road bridge was washed out, severing access to Lake Ferry, Ngawi and Cape Palliser, where residents formed a human chain to pass supplies as repairs were prepared.
  • Thousands of customers in the lower North Island remained without electricity on Tuesday as restoration continued following Wellington’s strongest winds since 2013, including 193 km/h gusts at Mt Kaukau.
  • MetService said the deep low is tracking south with further heavy rain and large swells expected, while councils monitor flood risks and prioritise reopening key routes and supplying cut-off settlements.