A motorist died in floodwaters and five districts declared states of emergency across Latest Zealand’s North Island on Saturday as severe weather, described as a “weatherbomb” by residents, brought widespread flooding and slips.
The South Waikato district was particularly hard hit, with Ryan Vickers, a local resident, reporting damage on his parents’ Waipā farm that he had “never seen anything like” in his life. Vickers described a small creek on the property swelling rapidly after a slip upstream appeared to have acted as a dam, then burst, sending a surge of water carrying boulders “bigger than cars” down the mountain. The force of the water destroyed a bridge providing access to the farm, and caused extensive damage to surrounding land.
“It took out logs and trees. Stuff within five metres either side of the river [has] just been shredded, picked up and thrown down the hill,” Vickers said, according to reporting by 1News.
The states of emergency were declared in the Thames-Coromandel District, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Tairāwhiti, and Hawke’s Bay. Authorities reported widespread disruptions to infrastructure, including road closures and water restrictions. Crops and walking tracks have also been significantly impacted in the Waipā district.
The death occurred when a vehicle was submerged in floodwaters. Details regarding the location and circumstances of the incident remain limited.
The North Island, known in Māori as Te Ika-a-Māui, has a population of over 4 million, representing 76% of New Zealand’s total population. The island covers 113,729 square kilometers, constituting 43% of New Zealand’s land area.
Community groups are again distributing emergency kits, three years after a previous devastating weather event. The current situation follows the issuance of a rare red rain warning for parts of the country, indicating a “threat to life.”
Authorities have not yet announced a timeline for lifting the states of emergency or a full assessment of the damage.
