77 millimetres of rain in under an hour. Cars shoved aside by floodwater. A man missing in Karori. That is the situation in Wellington this morning, after New Zealand’s capital recorded its heaviest rainfall since records began.

A state of emergency was declared for the Wellington region on Monday afternoon, giving responders powers to coordinate evacuations and manage infrastructure damage. National forecaster MetService raised its heavy rain warning to red — the highest tier — citing a direct threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding, and landslides. The warning remains in force through Tuesday.

Wellington Civil Defence Emergency Management group controller Carrie McKenzie said the priority was life safety. “We are asking people to take this seriously, follow safety advice, and act early if they are in low-lying or flood-prone areas[…]”

Mayor Andrew Little said floodwaters were strong enough to move vehicles and lift manhole covers. More than a dozen people have been evacuated, the Fire and Emergency service responded to 150 calls overnight, and police are searching for a 60-year-old man at a flooded Karori property. No fatalities have been reported, according to the BBC.

Wellington Airport has cancelled some flights. Several schools have closed. Residents in low-lying areas have been told to relocate for at least the next 24 hours, with the Wellington City Mission opened as emergency shelter. Authorities are urging people to delay all non-essential travel.

The flooding comes less than a week after Cyclone Vainau swept across the North Island. With rain forecast to continue for another day and a half, the full extent of the damage will not be clear for some time.

Sources