Hundreds of families in New Zealand’s South Island were forced to evacuate their homes on Thursday after floods in three regions declared a state of emergency.
A tropical storm has dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of the South Island, causing rivers to burst their banks. The extreme weather has also cut down trees and blocked major roads.
On Wednesday, states of emergency were declared in Buller on the west coast and in Nelson – where 233 homes were evacuated after a month’s worth of rain in just 15 hours.
The Deluge turned Nelson’s main river, the Maitai, into a torrent – flooding houses, exposing pipes and leaving streets knee-deep in water.
City Mayor Rachel Reese described the flash flooding as “an event in 100 years” with search and rescue teams and military personnel assisting people on flooded streets.
She warned locals to treat all water as contaminated as some sewers were broken.
Nelson resident Sam Lagrutta said the situation was “scary” after police gave him just five minutes to leave his home.
“I literally just took a carry-on bag and filled it with my passport, wallet and whatever I could find,” he told the New Zealand Herald.
Another 160 households along the west coast of the South Island have also been ordered to evacuate.
Buller has been repeatedly hit by floods in recent years.
Mayor Jamie Cleine said frequent evacuations were taking a toll on a community bracing for more flooding.
“It is extremely worrying for people financially and mentally. This is our reality until a long-term solution can be found,” he told news site Stuff.
Emergency Management Secretary Kieran McAnulty was due to visit Nelson on Thursday, with continued heavy rain expected.
The North Island is also affected: three people were injured in a car accident in Northland after a tree fell on State Highway One.
The wet winter continues after New Zealand was soaked from its wettest July ever.
According to New Zealand’s largest insurer IAG, construction in flood-prone areas must be stopped before the damage can be repaired.
Climate change is having a huge impact on the insurance sector, with 10 major floods over the past two years resulting in total losses of around $400 million ($251,260), the insurer said.
About 1 percent of New Zealand homes – 20,000 properties – are at risk of flooding.
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