Eight still missing in New Zealand after storm Gabrielle

STR/AFPDamage after storm Gabrielle in the north of the country

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 05:10

Eight people are still missing in New Zealand after storm Gabrielle, authorities say. The storm hit the North Island two weeks ago. Eleven people died and thousands of people had to leave their homes.

The police say in a statement that contacting the eight missing is a priority. “Our employees are doing everything they can to find them.”

Shortly after the storm, the number of missing persons stood at more than 6,000. The storm made communication with many areas difficult, as power was down in many places. The army was deployed to restore communications.

More rain coming

The North Island was again hit by heavy rain on Friday. In the Hawke’s Bay region, people were therefore forced to leave their homes. That area was also hit by storm Gabrielle.

More abundant rainfall is expected today in the region around Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. The city’s emergency service has called on residents to prepare for very bad weather conditions.

Source