New Zealand is stepping up preparations for a powerful cyclone that is forecast to drag across its North Island over the next few days, two weeks after the country’s largest city of Auckland was pummeled by a summer storm.
The number of severe weather warnings for the North Island has increased to 23, according to the MetService. Airlines including Air New Zealand canceled flights from or to Auckland and other airports through Tuesday, while Northland declared a seven-day state of emergency with unplanned power outages affecting thousands of people in the far northern region.
"Cape Reinga has already recorded 140 kilometer (87 miles) an hour gusts today and Northland is in for a prolonged run of severe gales,” New Zealand’s MetService said. "The strength of the wind will make for very hazardous coastal conditions around much of NZ.”
Many New Zealanders have been told to have grab bags ready to go, prepare emergency supplies and secure their properties ahead of the cyclone.
Auckland, home to 1.6 million people, was smashed at the end of last month by a storm that caused extensive damage from widespread flooding and landslides. Four people died, hundreds of properties were damaged or destroyed and thousands of travelers were left stranded after Auckland International Airport was forced to close.
The earlier storm has left the city particularly vulnerable to more rain due to already-saturated soil, with officials warning that unstable trees may topple and low-lying areas could face inundation. People living in homes already assessed as at risk were advised to consider moving out, particularly if surrounding land was unstable.
The rain is forecast to start in the north on Sunday, with the intensity increasing on Monday, before spreading to the South Island on Tuesday, the MetService said.