MOST IMPORTANT POINTS
* A state of emergency has been declared in Auckland after a severe storm and biblical rain caused widespread flooding and damage
* No flights will arrive or depart from Auckland Airport until Saturday at the earliest
* More than 2,000 calls for help have been made throughout the city
*MetService has issued a heavy rain red alert for the region after a record 24-hour rainfall – 249mm, breaking the previous 24-hour record of 161.8mm
* Auckland Emergency Management is asking people to stay home if possible
* Mayor Wayne Brown said people should follow emergency instructions: “We need the rain to stop, that’s the main issue”
* Sir Elton John’s Friday night concert on Mt Smart, expected to draw 40,000 people, has been canceled
At least one person has died and a state of emergency has been declared in Auckland as residents had to be rescued from their homes and cars as water surged through the city during an “unprecedented” deluge of rain over the city.
Police and authorities have confirmed that a body has been found in the North Shore floodwaters.
The savage weather and heavy rains wreaked havoc across the region, causing flooding, evacuations and transportation chaos. State Highway 1 north of Auckland has been closed and officials have opened the new Puhoi highway to rescue stranded motorists overnight.
Auckland Airport will be closed at least until noon on Saturday due to flooding, with no international or domestic flights departing or arriving.
MetService said a record amount of rain had fallen in Auckland in 24 hours – by 1am the region had recorded 249mm of rain, breaking the previous 24-hour record of 161.8mm set in February 1985.
Monthly records have also been broken: the wettest January on record at Auckland Airport’s weather station to date was in 1986 with 20cm and the wettest month on record was July 1998 with 30cm. So far this month, 12 inches of rain has fallen — a “massive” amount, MetService said.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has been criticized by residents and several politicians for acting too slowly in the crisis, but he defended his actions late last night when speaking to reporters.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he would travel to Auckland on Saturday morning. “When the rain hit, it hit very hard and very fast … Aucklanders have to brace themselves for the fact that there could be more rain,” he told reporters in Wellington during the early hours of the morning.
Auckland Airport’s international terminal was closed due to flooding and at least one flight was cancelled, diverted or rescheduled, leaving a huge crowd of stranded passengers waiting for more information.
The airport also had reduced runway operations, causing flights to be delayed after an arriving aircraft damaged runway lighting.
More rain is predicted to fall today, as civil defense warned Aucklanders in flood-prone areas to prepare for evacuation and urged others to stay home as torrential rain worsened overnight. People should check friends and neighbors if it was safe to do so.
Every available Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) crew in Auckland was on deck responding to more than 1500 calls for help last night.
A spokesperson for Fenz said they were “flooded” with calls throughout the day as people got trapped in their cars and homes. “Every fire truck in Auckland is responding to the priority calls,” they said.
Firefighters used jet skis, inflatable lifeboats and kayaks to get people to safety.
Police said a person was found dead in the Wairau Valley on the north coast after being notified at about 7:25pm yesterday after a body was seen by a member of the public near Target Rd. A source told The New Zealand Herald the body was found in a submerged diver, later confirmed by Auckland Emergency Management’s Duty Controller Andrew Clark.
Houses in Rānui are said to have fallen off their foundations, according to Fenz. One resident said houses were “flooded” and photos of the scene showed river-like streets.
“The damage is going to be very bad once this rain clears,” Camphora Rd resident Prashant Roy said last night. “As it goes, as it rains, these houses might be completely flooded by midnight.”
Many major roads and highways around the city were closed due to flooding. About 18 vehicles were trapped between two slips on State Highway 1 about 2 miles north of the Johnstones Hill Tunnels near Puhoi.
The torrential rain also canceled Elton John’s show at Mt Smart Stadium, the first of his two concerts in Auckland – the second to be played tonight. What makes fans even worse is that trains are not running and buses to the concert are expected to run at full capacity.
Opera in the Park in St. Heliers and Movies in the Park in Manurewa were both canceled yesterday.
Mayor of Auckland: I couldn’t act sooner
Local civil defense authorities met overnight to discuss how to respond to the ongoing crisis. A state of emergency was declared around 9:30 p.m., Mayor Wayne Brown said.
There were several calls that Brown had declared a state of emergency earlier in the evening.
Brown defended himself against criticism, including from local councilors and MPs, telling reporters after 11pm: “I couldn’t act sooner, it was a formal process … I listened to the professionals in the field.”
He added: “It is not my role to run out with buckets. It’s here to make sure the center is well organized and we take the right steps at the right time, not rushing into it in response to noise outside.
“This is not something you just respond to because of a cry from the public.”
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Twitter: “I am pleased that a state of emergency has been declared tonight due to the flooding in Auckland. All relevant government agencies are working hard to assist in extraordinary circumstances. Emergency relief is underway and the government is ready to help where needed.”
Hipkins also said the Beehive Bunker had been activated to help coordinate emergency response in Auckland.
“I have asked that the frequency of public updates be increased as soon as possible.”
Just before 2 a.m., Hipkins told reporters that it was difficult to estimate how many people had been affected by the flooding and torrential rain in Auckland.
He said he didn’t know how many people were injured and probably wouldn’t know until tomorrow morning.
“My message to Aucklanders is to be kind to each other and support each other.”
The Prime Minister said he will travel to Auckland first thing on Saturday morning and will also send further support.
“Once the sun rises we will know a little more about what we are dealing with and the true magnitude of the challenge that Auckland faces. When the rain hit, it hit very hard and very fast… Aucklanders should brace themselves for the fact that more rain could fall.
Senior Government Minister Michael Wood also said on Twitter: “In my area this is the worst flooding I have ever seen and more could come overnight.”
Wood explained the latest call for a formal declaration of emergency to the mayor of Auckland.
The Mt Roskill MP, who is also the transport minister, also instructed Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency staff to return to work after the social media team issued a “final update” at 7.40pm. “I have seen this and have directed the Agency to urgently reopen their channels,” Wood tweeted.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon also said on Twitter: “I urge Mayor Wayne Brown to declare a state of emergency for Auckland now. This gives our brilliant emergency response teams the tools they need to respond. High tide comes after midnight and we need a list of evacuation centers for people to go to.”
Brown had previously told flood-affected residents to stay safe and seek advice from emergency workers.
“We want to ensure that all residents are kept informed and that emergency services can reach the most vulnerable and at-risk groups as quickly as possible. Don’t put yourself in danger,” Brown said.
Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said on Twitter shortly after 10pm: “The Mayor of Auckland has declared a state of emergency. NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) can now provide additional support and resources from other regions. I will continue to receive live updates from NEMA, liaise with MPs in Auckland and update the Prime Minister as needed.”
After declaring a state of emergency, Brown said in a statement: “This statement reflects the magnitude of the damage, displacement and disruption caused by tonight’s severe weather and will allow emergency services and emergency services to deploy resources and issue additional powers to assist affected Aucklanders.”
Brown said the region has suffered “widespread damage from flooding and torrential rain,” while both infrastructure and emergency services have been overwhelmed by the storm’s impact. The local state of emergency takes effect immediately and expires in seven days.
The mayor said he had been “closely monitoring the situation in his office throughout the evening” and signed the statement immediately after formal advice.