New Zealand in state of emergency following Hurricane Gabrielle

The Auckland region was hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle on February 14, 2023. AP - Warren Buckland

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Two weeks after the floods that killed four people in and around Auckland, it is now Cyclone Gabrielle that is hitting the entire North Island of New Zealand.

One firefighter is still missing and another is in serious condition.

A state of emergency has been declared across the country.  

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With our correspondent in Wellington,

In the middle of the austral summer, New Zealanders will remember this catastrophic season for a long time.

Arriving overnight from Sunday to Monday, Cyclone Gabrielle, a category 3 ravaged no less than seven regions across the North Island.  

Power cuts

More than 200,000 people are currently without electricity.

Cuts that could last for weeks according to the authorities.  

This morning, in the Napier region in the east of the North Island, people had even taken refuge on the roofs of their houses to protect themselves from these flash floods.

Residents who found themselves trapped on their roofs for long hours.

With winds of up to 130 km/h, the helicopters were unable to evacuate these people.  

As with floods, potential landslides raise many fears.

Several people were blocked in their homes after these landslides.

A firefighter is always 

Blocked roads

In total, more than 200 roads across the north still remain blocked or flooded, leaving areas like the Coromandel totally isolated.  

If the eye of hurricane Gabrielle is now moving out of New Zealand territory, severe weather and strong winds are to be expected in

. 

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• Natural disasters