Almost as much rain falls in Auckland in one day as in an entire summer. Large parts of the New Zealand metropolis are still under water. At least three people are killed in the floods.
Authorities say at least three people have died after the extreme rain in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. Another person who was swept away by the floods is still missing, police said. New Zealand's new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins flew to the city on the North Island. His top priority is keeping the metropolis' 1.6 million residents safe, he said. Authorities spoke of the "wettest day" since records began and declared a state of emergency.
According to the police, the three dead were found independently of each other. One of the victims was therefore in a flooded parking garage. Another died when a landslide hit a house.
The city government warned that rain could continue to fall over the weekend. Parts of the metropolis are still under water. Numerous roads are closed and there was a power outage in some areas of the city. Parts of Auckland International Airport, New Zealand's largest, were also flooded. The airport announced that no international flight would take off until at least Sunday.
The National Research Institute NIWA said that in some areas of the city, 80 percent of the rainfall that is otherwise measured all summer fell within 15 hours. The suburbs of Kumeu and Albany were particularly hard hit. The fire brigade was already in action on Friday with kayaks and jet skis to rescue people from their homes. All of the city's fire engines are also on duty.
