As New Zealand struggles to recover from the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle, police are still searching for eight people who remain unaccounted for, two weeks after the storm made landfall. In a statement, police issued a stark message, emphasizing the importance of locating the remaining missing individuals, regardless of whether they choose to engage with authorities. Despite significant efforts already undertaken, the search continues, with police exploring all possible avenues to locate the missing.
The storm, which struck on February 12, left a trail of destruction in its wake, claiming at least 11 lives and displacing thousands. Initially, more than 6,000 people were reported missing, but this number has gradually decreased as recovery efforts have progressed. Over the past week, severe weather patterns have re-emerged, with heavy rain triggering flash floods and evacuation warnings in several regions, including Hawke’s Bay, which was one of the hardest hit by Gabrielle.
Forecaster MetService is closely monitoring the situation, warning of potential thunderstorms and localized downpours in parts of the North Island, including western areas of Northland and Auckland. The agency is also tracking two potential cyclones in the region, although the risk of either storm directly impacting New Zealand appears relatively low at this stage.
Cyclone GabrielleAs a precautionary measure, the emergency agency for Auckland has advised residents to prepare for more rain, which is predicted to hit the city on Sunday evening. The risk of thunderstorms and localized downpours is expected to increase, prompting the authorities to urge residents to take necessary precautions.
In a clear indication of the ongoing challenges posed by Gabrielle, further evacuations were carried out in Hawke’s Bay on Friday, following heavy rain that ravaged the region. Storms also caused flash flooding and evacuation warnings in and around Auckland, the nation’s largest city, home to approximately 1.6 million people.