SYDNEY (Reuters) – The loss of life toll from Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand climbed to 11 on Sunday as 1000’s of individuals remained lacking per week after the storm struck the nation’s North Island.

The cyclone hit the island’s northernmost area on Feb. 12 and tracked down the east coast, inflicting widespread devastation. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has known as Gabrielle New Zealand’s largest pure catastrophe this century.

On Sunday, police mentioned two extra folks had died in hard-hit Hawke’s Bay in circumstances associated to the cyclone.

Extra fatalities are doable, Hipkins advised reporters, saying 3,216 folks had been decided to be OK, whereas police have been making an attempt to establish the standing of greater than 3,000 others.

Lives had been “turned the other way up” by the catastrophe and restoration was a “steep mountain forward”, he mentioned, pointing to disrupted telecommunications, shortages of contemporary water and broken roads nonetheless limiting entry to some areas.

Provide chains have been disrupted inflicting issues shifting items, many crops had been destroyed, and 28,000 houses have been nonetheless with out energy, he mentioned.

“The true extent of the devastation and loss grow to be clearer with each passing day,” the prime minister mentioned.

A group from Fiji would go away for New Zealand in coming days to help with restoration, one among 12 affords of worldwide help obtained up to now, Hipkins mentioned. Twenty-seven emergency employees from Australia are aiding with the reduction effort.

Restoration efforts continued on Sunday, with groups from Auckland Council finishing up fast constructing assessments on broken houses within the coastal areas of Muriwai and Piha, about 60 km (40 miles) west of the nation’s largest metropolis, Auckland.

Emergency authorities and the army have been dropping vital provides by way of helicopter to communities stranded for the reason that cyclone, which washed away farms, bridges and livestock and inundated houses.

Police have despatched an additional 100 officers to Hawke’s Bay and close by Tairawhiti, together with to remoted areas, amid stories of looting.

“The police are working to take care of legislation and order,” Hipkins mentioned.

(This story has been corrected to say that the police is looking for to establish the standing of greater than 3,000 folks, not that 6,431 folks remained lacking, in paragraph 4)