New Zealand - Severe weather and floods, update (National Emergency Management Agency New Zealand, media, Met Service New Zealand) (ECHO Daily Flash of 22 April 2026)

Country: New Zealand Source: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations The North Island of New Zealand has been hit by intense rain, resulting in floods and landslides that have caused casualties, evacuations and damage. The hardest‐hit areas are the Manawatū‐Whanganui region and the Wellington Region, both of which remain under a local state of emergency. Media reports of 22 April say that one person died in the Karori suburb of western Wellington, and many residents have been evacuated. Several cars have been submerged or swept away, and road closures caused by flash floods and landslides have been reported. A number of schools in the region are also closed. According to the National Emergency Management Agency, a state of emergency, declared on 20 April, continues for Ōhura Ward in Manawatū‐Whanganui, as well as for Wellington City and Wairarapa. Over the next 48 hours, moderate to locally heavy rain and hail are forecast for the affected areas and across most of the North Island and northerneastern South Island.
2026-04-22 08:29:10