Torrential rains hit New Zealand's South Island on Wednesday, August 17, flooding rivers, homes and roads and forcing about 200 households to evacuate, according to media reports. canopy.
About 70 homes in Nelson, on the north side of the South Island, and another 140 on the west coast have been evacuated, according to local 1News estimates.
Media images from the area show flooded rivers, flooded roads and crews using lifeboats to inspect flooded areas.
New Zealand weather provider Metservice said mountain ranges to the west and north of the South Island could receive up to 500mm of rain between Wednesday and Friday.
states of emergency have been declared in Nelson and on the west coast.
Buller West Coast District Civil Defense Comptroller Al Lawn said in a statement that some residents in the town of Westport should evacuate before dark because the Buller River is at risk of reaching its maximum level on Thursday. .
However, the authorities did not evacuate the entire city because the forecast range of river levels decreased. The latest storms followed weeks of unusually wet weather to hit New Zealand.
Severe weather warnings are currently in place for parts of the South Island, while the North Island is also experiencing severe weather.
Read more: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/torrential-new-zealand-rains-floods-force-evacuation-of-200-homes
