Wild weather has swept across large parts of New Zealand, with powerful winds causing fires, road closures, and power outages.
MetService issued red-level wind warnings for several regions, including Canterbury, Marlborough south of Cape Campbell, Wellington, Wairarapa south of Carterton, and parts of Clutha and Southland, including Stewart Island.
In Canterbury, a state of local emergency was declared as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) activated its national coordination centre. The region faced some of the worst damage, including five homes destroyed by fire in Kaikōura. Strong winds helped spread blazes in other areas too, including Hawke’s Bay, Dunedin, and Hanmer Springs.
Due to the high fire risk, total fire bans were put in place for Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Marlborough, and Canterbury. Emergency services were on high alert, working to keep communities safe.
Across the country, roads were closed in parts of Otago, Wellington, Canterbury, and the West Coast. Power cuts also affected homes and businesses in the upper South Island.
This storm was the second major weather event to hit the country in one week, bringing more disruption and danger to areas already on edge. Authorities urged people to stay indoors, avoid travel if possible, and keep up to date with official warnings as conditions continued to change.
