By Lucy Craymer and Renju Jose

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand declared a nationwide state of emergency for less than the third time in its historical past on Tuesday as Cyclone Gabrielle precipitated widespread flooding, landslides and large ocean swells, forcing evacuations and stranding folks on roof tops.

About 225,000 folks have been left with out electrical energy.

“It has been a giant evening for New Zealanders throughout the nation, however notably within the higher North Island … lots of households displaced, lots of houses with out energy, in depth injury carried out throughout the nation,” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins informed reporters after the declaration.

At 3 p.m. (0200 GMT) Gabrielle was round 160 km (100 miles) southeast of Auckland, close to the east coast of the nation’s North Island, and is predicted to proceed transferring southeast, roughly parallel to the coast. Climate warnings stay in place for a lot of the east coast of the North Island and higher South Island.

Kieran McAnulty, minister of emergency administration, stated that whereas New Zealand was now by means of the worst of the storm, extra rain and excessive winds have been anticipated.

The nation was affected by in depth flooding, landslides and injury to roads and infrastructure, he added.

Transmission firms across the nation are reporting injury to substations and energy networks. Vitality Minister Megan Woods stated round 225,000 folks have been with out electrical energy.

Authorities have evacuated seashore settlements and are urging nonetheless extra folks to go away houses as rivers proceed to swell and large surf inundates beachfront properties.

Roads are closed, cell phone companies down and a few cities minimize off. Residents in hard-hit areas are being requested to preserve water and meals due to fears of shortages. Air New Zealand has once more cancelled all home flights out and in of Auckland.

Helicopter and boat crews have been rescuing folks trapped by quickly rising flood water in Hawke’s Bay, southeast of Auckland.

Hipkins stated it was too early to say how many individuals had been displaced or injured. No deaths have been confirmed.

Media reported one individual was lacking after a home had slid down a hill in Hawke’s Bay, whereas the hearth and emergency service stated a volunteer firefighter was nonetheless in a home that had been swept downhill in a landslide.

Native media printed pictures and video of individuals sitting on high of buildings surrounded by flood water, of homes swept to the underside of hills by landslides and of roads below water.

A New Zealand warship rescued an individual from a yacht that turned on its emergency beacon this morning off the east coast.

New Zealand declared nationwide emergencies after an earthquake in 2011 and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.