New Zealand was prompted to declare a National State of Emergency, its third in history, as Cyclone Gabrielle hit the North Island on Tuesday, knocking out electricity to tens of thousands of households.
The New Zealand Meteorological Service stated winds exceeding 140 km/h (87 mph) along the coast, with waves reaching heights of close to 11 m (36 ft) near the Bay of Islands, CNN reported.
According to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, the nation didn't fully realize the scope of the New Zealand cyclone 2023 until Tuesday morning.
Hawke's Bay, Coromandel, and Northland are some of the worst-affected coastal towns on the North Island due to the storm's destructive winds and rain brought by Cyclone Gabrielle.
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Rescue Efforts Ongoing
Over 2,500 individuals and families have been evacuated in New Zealand, including 1000 in the Far North, 400 in Auckland, 93 in the Bay of Plenty, 75 in Waikato, and 1000 in Hawke's Bay, according to The New Zealand Herald.
In Hawke's Bay, rescue efforts are in progress. Half of Wairoa's 8,000 residents have been displaced due to the river's overflowing banks, which have flooded 10-15% of the town. Satellite phones are the only option when neither electricity nor regular phones are available.
Two hundred and fifty thousand individuals have no electricity, per BBC. Homes have been destroyed by falling trees, and landslides have wiped out whole neighborhoods and closed highways amid the New Zealand cyclone 2023.
One river's overflow has severed all lines of communication to one community in the area.
New Zealand Officials in charge of civil defense in Hawke's Bay have said that they are overwhelmed by the extent of the destruction. The United Kingdom and Australia have both offered assistance for the victims of Cyclone Gabrielle.
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