Three people have died and at least one is missing after record levels of rainfall triggered flash floods in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland
causing widespread disruption, including the closure of the airport and evacuation from homes. Torrential rains that battered parts of Auckland marked the wettest day ever recorded in the region.
A state of emergency remained in place in the city of 1.6 million people on Saturday as the torrential rains eased after Friday’s downpour and flooding,
which marked the wettest day ever recorded in Auckland, according to weather agencies. Highways were closed and floodwater poured into homes.
The amount of rain that would typically fall during the entire summer hit the area in a single day with more than 150mm (6 inches) of rain falling in just three hours in some places.
Hundreds of people were stranded at Auckland Airport overnight after parts of the terminal were flooded and flights cancelled.
Police said they found a man’s body in a flooded culvert and another in a flooded car park. They said one person was missing after being swept away by floodwaters