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Auckland, New Zealand, begins cleaning up after fatal flash floods. Authorities in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, began mopping up on Saturday after heavy rains caused flash flooding and evacuations, with at least two persons reported dead and two missing in the extensive flooding.
The city of 1.6 million people on New Zealand's north island remained under a state of emergency as rains lessened following Friday's floods in the north, northwest, and west.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who has been in office for less than a week, flew over the city by helicopter before viewing flood-damaged residences.
A terminal full of water after torrential rain slammed Auckland Airport in New Zealand this morning. Photos by Vikram Vyas https://t.co/P9Rz7GicFT pic.twitter.com/CJUDa8xqmK
— Kaitlin Wright (@wxkaitlin) January 28, 2023
"In some regions, the extent of damage is significant," Hipkins told reporters, calling the incident "unprecedented" in recent memory.
Daylight showed the storm's effect, which was triggered by warm air descending from the tropics, causing heavy rain and thunderstorms, according to Auckland Emergency Management, a division of the city council.
"Auckland was clobbered on Friday – Auckland's wettest day on record — and today we begin the clean-up," said the agency's duty controller, Andrew Clark, in a statement, encouraging locals going home to assess flood damage to exercise caution.
Auckland, New Zealand just recorded its wettest day ever causing deadly, severe flooding.
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) January 28, 2023
Over 10 inches of rain fell in 24 hours smashing the previous wettest day on record by nearly 4 inches!
Mind-boggling stuff.
🎥@CrazyIdeasNZ pic.twitter.com/SAUkaH43UG
According to New Zealand Police, two males were discovered deceased. A man was suspected to have been carried away, while another person was missing when a landslide slammed a house in an inner Auckland neighbourhood, police said.
The New Zealand Herald stated that over 2,000 pleas for help and 70 evacuations had been made around the city.
Auckland Airport recorded 249 mm (9.8 inches) of rainfall in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. on Saturday, breaking the 1985 high of 161.8 mm.
Auckland Airport reopened several domestic flights after halting domestic and international operations on Friday.
Domestic flights into and out of Auckland resumed at twelve (2300 GMT) on Friday, while international flights out of Auckland resumed at 12 on Sunday (2300 GMT on Saturday).
According to the airport's website, the international terminal will open for departures at 5 p.m. (0400 GMT), and international arrivals will resume at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday (1530 GMT on Saturday).
12 foreign planes scheduled to arrive in Auckland were diverted overnight, according to Air New Zealand.
While heavy rain has stopped, another round of downpours was predicted on Sunday, the national weather forecaster said, adding the impact was "expected to be severe and wide-reaching due of the saturated terrain".
"More flooding is expected in several northern locations in the coming days," it said.
On Friday, social media showed firemen, police, and defence force personnel utilising ropes and rescue boats to rescue stranded residents from flooded houses.
The floods prompted the postponement of two concerts in the city by British music artist Elton John, which were set for Friday and Saturday evenings.
