The North Island of New Zealand was hit by Category 3 cyclone Vaiana on Sunday. It caused flooding and damage to infrastructure, but avoided the most populous city of Auckland, home to 1.8 million people. It was reported by the Reuters and AFP agencies.
- Category 3 cyclone Vaiana hit the North Island of New Zealand on Sunday.
- The strongest winds exceeded 130 kilometers per hour in the Bay of Plenty.
- The Northland Waikato and Coromandel regions suffered the most damage and power outages.
- Hundreds of coastal residents evacuated due to flooding, ten-meter waves and power outages.
- Before reaching New Zealand, Cyclone Vaiana hit Fiji with widespread evacuations.
The cyclone made landfall in the afternoon local time in the Bay of Plenty region, accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 130 km/h. The worst damage and power outages were reported from the Northland, Waikato and Coromandel regions and the Auckland area. A state of emergency has been declared in the Northland and Waikato regions.
Hundreds of people had to leave their homes, especially in coastal areas, where there was a risk of flooding and waves up to ten meters high. Approximately 5,000 households were left without electricity, while emergency services are working to gradually restore supplies.
The cyclone moved south across the North Island during Sunday. It is expected to pass east of the Chatham Islands during Monday and then move over the open ocean, where it will gradually disintegrate.
Before reaching New Zealand, Cyclone Vaiana hit Fiji, where more than 1,280 people were evacuated. The natural element caused material damage there, especially in the western and central administrative district. Three years ago, Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand, killing 11 and causing an estimated A$14.5 billion in damage.
