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One firefighter went missing after getting caught in a landslide overnight near the country’s largest city, Auckland, local media said, while another was rescued with serious injuries.
Wellington. The New Zealand government declared a national emergency on Tuesday following flooding and destruction from Cyclone Gabrielle in the northern part of the country. One firefighter went missing after getting caught in a landslide overnight near the country’s largest city, Auckland, local media said, while another was rescued with serious injuries. Auckland was hit by a strong storm two weeks ago, which killed four people. The country’s Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty explained that the national emergency declaration would allow the government to provide additional resources and aid to affected areas.
Heavy overnight rains battered the country, forcing people from their homes and flooding more than 60,000 homes, blocking roads and cutting off power. “This is a natural disaster with a real threat to the lives of New Zealanders,” McAnulty told reporters in the capital, Wellington. The emergency declaration will also apply to the six territories that have already declared a local state of emergency, namely Northland, Auckland, Tairawiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay.
Disclaimer:Prabhasakshi has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.
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