New Zealand declared a state of emergency on Friday due to flooding in Auckland due to heavy rain. Large parts of the city are under water.
Rescuers fear the flooding will worsen due to the storm and will last until Saturday morning. The declaration of a state of emergency gives the city council more powers to take action and can count on the help of the national government and help from other regions.
“The region has suffered greatly from the floods and torrential rains”, say Mayor Wayne Brown of Auckland. “Emergency infrastructure and services have been overwhelmed by the impact of the storm. The local state of emergency has been declared effective immediately and will expire after seven days.”
At least fifteen hundred fire department reports
The fire brigade has already been called at least fifteen hundred times and in many places the roads are impassable because of the water. In many streets, residents find themselves in a stream about 1 meter high.
The international airport south of the city is closed due to flooding. Auckland had the wettest day in the city’s history.
About a third of New Zealand’s population lives in the densely populated municipalities that make up Auckland on the North Island.
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