(Wellington) At least three people died in the sinking of a fishing boat in New Zealand as severe storms swept across the country on Monday, including flooding in Auckland, the largest city, officials said.
Posted at 8:29 p.m.
Three bodies have been recovered and two people were missing after their boat sank on Sunday evening in the middle of a storm off the Northland region in the north of the New Zealand archipelago, police said. Five survivors were taken to hospital.
The storm then moved south, reaching Auckland on Monday morning, where 76.8mm of rain poured in an hour, the city’s second-ever record rainfall in that timeframe, the services said. meteorological.
Highways have been cut due to flooding, schools have closed and ferry connections have been suspended due to heavy swells.
Six thunderstorms were heading south and were expected to reach the city of Hamilton Monday afternoon. “These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rains and devastating gusts of wind,” warned the meteorological services, urging residents to take shelter indoors.