Wellington Declares Emergency After 77mm Rain in One Hour, Thousands Evacuate

New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, has declared a state of emergency following torrential rain that deluged the North Island. The city recorded a substantial 77mm of rain in less than an hour on Monday, as reported by Mayor Andrew Little.

Visuals circulating online depict submerged vehicles, uprooted trees, and houses affected by landslides. Emergency services have initiated evacuations for over a dozen individuals, with a 60-year-old man from the Karori suburb currently unaccounted for. No fatalities have been confirmed.

Authorities have urged residents to shelter in place, with further rainfall anticipated over the next 36 hours. Several flights at Wellington Airport have been cancelled, and multiple schools have closed their facilities. The Wellington City Mission is offering shelter for those displaced.

This severe weather follows Cyclone Vaianu, which swept across the North Island just last weekend. Climate science consistently indicates that extreme weather phenomena, including flash floods, are becoming more frequent and intense globally.

Mark Mitchell, the minister for emergency management and recovery, cautioned residents to prepare for the “worst of the weather” later on Monday evening, advising early evacuation decisions for those in vulnerable areas.