Australia’s Norfolk Island issued a red alert before a powerful tropical cyclone that is set to travel on to New Zealand just two weeks after the country’s largest city of Auckland was pummeled by a severe summer storm.
(Bloomberg) — Australia’s Norfolk Island issued a red alert before a powerful tropical cyclone that is set to travel on to New Zealand just two weeks after the country’s largest city of Auckland was pummeled by a severe summer storm.
Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle may bring wind gusts of as much as 155 kilometers (96 miles) per hour as it reaches the island of about 2,000 people on Saturday evening local time, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said on its website. Meanwhile, New Zealanders are also bracing for the storm’s arrival on Sunday, with 17 severe weather warnings in place on the North Island and Air New Zealand canceling flights in the region.
“This is expected to be a widespread and extreme weather event,” New Zealand’s MetService said. “Very heavy rain, damaging winds and large waves are forecast for many parts of northern and central New Zealand.”
Many New Zealanders have been told to have grab bags ready to go, prepare emergency supplies and secure their properties ahead of the cyclone.
Auckland, home to 1.6 million people, was smashed by a storm at the end of January that caused extensive damage due to widespread flooding and landslides. Four people died, hundreds of properties were damaged or destroyed and thousands of travelers were left stranded after Auckland International Airport was forced to close.
The earlier storm has left the city particularly vulnerable to more rain due to already saturated soil, with officials warning that unstable trees may topple and low-lying areas may face inundation. People living in homes already assessed as at risk were advised to consider moving out, particularly if surrounding land was unstable.
–With assistance from Ainsley Thomson.
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