Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued Across New Zealand, Heavy Rain and Flooding Continues

Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued by the Met Service across the country as inclement weather with heavy rain and deadly flooding has continued in Auckland and other areas for almost a week as of Thursday, February 2.

The severe storm alerts also pertain to the disruptive, life-threatening risks of large hail and strong winds to life and property.

Last weekend, the country's weather agency also warned the public for the continuance of severe weather this week.

So far, at least four people have been reported dead as torrential rain cause raging floodwaters and landslides.

The severe weather also damaged roads and vehicles, causing disruption to residential and business establishments.

Auckland Floods

(Photo : Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 01: Countdown supermarket carpark in Greenlane affected by flooding on February 01, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, was hit with a historic amount of torrential rainfall on Friday, causing severe flooding which inundated roads and property across the city, with four people so far confirmed dead. Residents and emergency services began to take stock of the damage from the largest amount of rainfall in a day on record, and began recovery efforts over the weekend - an effort that is under threat due to forecast heavy rain and warnings issued throughout the region.

The country's National Civil Defense warned people that thunderstorms and more rainfall is on the way.

Roger Ball, director of emergency management for the civil defense, urged people to monitor weather updates.

Rachel Kelleher, a controller of the New Zealand government agency, said people need to be "really vigilant" due to the weather conditions, as cited by the New Zealand Herald.

In particular, the local authorities have warned of imminent thunderstorms across Auckland, where excessive rainfall could drop over parts of the city ahead of larger and more intense rain on Thursday evening

. In addition, the city's Auckland Emergency Management (AEM), said people should prepare for further localized flooding and landslips, as cited by the New Zealand newspaper.

Also Read: Storm Alert: Nearly 20,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded in New Zealand Recently

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Amid the adverse weather, the nation's meteorological authorities have issued severe thunderstorm warning and severe weather warning for multiple areas nationwide.

As of Thursday, the MetService issues the following severe thunderstorm warnings, including a severe thunderstorm watch for the Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, and Waikato areas.

The watch is valid from 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. local time on Thursday.

New Zealand's national weather forecaster emphasized that heavy showers are heading towards the said areas from offshore locations in the north, adding rainfall of such intensity can lead to surface flooding or flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas or communities near bodies of water like rivers and streams.

Severe Weather Warning

The MetService also issued severe weather warnings in the form of heavy rain warning (orange) and heavy rain watch in the following areas:

Bay of Plenty west of Kawerau
Westland south of Otira
Eastern Northland, south of the Bay of Islands
Eastern areas of Auckland
The Hunua Ranges
Coromandel Peninsula
Taranaki
Fiordland north of George Sound

The onset of the bad weather was reported in Auckland on January 27, when heavy rain started pouring in.

Since then, local officials have declared a local state of emergency which will allow authorities to implement disaster-mitigating measures and access public funds for recovery.

In the words of Finance Minister Grant Robertson, the "unprecedented" flooding in the past several days is the country's "biggest non-earthquake" insurance event, as cited by 1 News, the news division of New Zealand's television network TVNZ.