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Cyclone Gabrielle: New Zealand braces for storm after record floods New Zealand braces for severe storm Gabrielle after record floods
(about 17 hours later)
Parts of New Zealand's North Island are still recovering from recent record flooding A man stacks up sandbags to protect a warehouse before the arrival of Cyclone Gabrielle in Auckland, New Zealand
Preparations are under way in New Zealand for a severe storm that threatens to hit parts of the country already damaged by deadly flooding. Thousands of people in New Zealand have been left without power as parts of the country endure the start of a severe storm.
Cyclone Gabrielle is expected to hit the country's North Island from Saturday night - potentially bringing strong winds and further heavy rain. Gabrielle buffeted Australia's Norfolk Island overnight and has begun to lash the northernmost region of New Zealand.
Residents have been told to ensure they have enough supplies to last three days in case they are trapped at home. Forecasters have issued "red" heavy wind and rain warnings for Auckland and Northland with 200mm of rain and winds of up to 130kph (80mph) expected.
The storm comes weeks after torrential rain inundated the city of Auckland. Evacuation centres have been set up and residents have been preparing.
They have been told to ensure they have enough supplies to last three days in case they are trapped at home.
The storm - which has been downgraded from a cyclone - comes weeks after torrential rain inundated the city of Auckland., which remains under a state of emergency.
Tens of thousands of sandbags have been distributed there due to concerns the sodden ground and weakened infrastructure have made homes more vulnerable to flooding.Tens of thousands of sandbags have been distributed there due to concerns the sodden ground and weakened infrastructure have made homes more vulnerable to flooding.
Evacuation shelters have been set up once again and Air New Zealand, the national carrier, has cancelled several domestic flights ahead of the cyclone's arrival. Parts of New Zealand's North Island are still recovering from recent record flooding
Photographs and videos posted on social media showed long queues at supermarkets and bare shelves as people prepared for more severe weather. Air New Zealand, the national carrier, has cancelled several domestic flights ahead of the storm's arrival.
Local media have reported that New Zealand's most northern region, Northland, has already begun to experience high winds. On Norfolk Island, which covers just over 34 sq km (13 sq miles) in the Pacific Ocean between New Caledonia and New Zealand, authorities said they were clearing debris and trees from roads and restoring power knocked out in the storm.
Cyclone Gabrielle has been downgraded from a category three storm to a category two, meaning less destructive winds are now expected. "There is still considerable clean up to be undertaken and it may take a while for services such as power to be restored," Emergency Management Norfolk Island said.
However, forecasters have warned that they could still be strong enough to damage trees and power lines and that enough rain could fall to cause further flooding and landslides in the coming days. New Zealand's MetService has warned winds could still be strong enough to damage trees and power lines and that enough rain could fall to cause further flooding and landslides in the coming days.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said: "Our main message to people across the country is to please take the severe weather warning seriously and to make sure you're prepared.
"Make sure you've got your grab-and-go kits, make sure you know where you need to go in the event you need to evacuate your homes."
Pak'nSave Royal, Oak pic.twitter.com/jPTXXwayr7Pak'nSave Royal, Oak pic.twitter.com/jPTXXwayr7
The Coromandel Peninsula and the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne region, which were also affected by the recent torrential rain, have been placed under the most serious weather alert.The Coromandel Peninsula and the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne region, which were also affected by the recent torrential rain, have been placed under the most serious weather alert.
Residents in flood-prone areas have been told to prepare to evacuate.Residents in flood-prone areas have been told to prepare to evacuate.
"There's a degree of nervousness and anxiety around this coming event," the Thames-Coromandel district's mayor, Len Salt, told the Stuff news website."There's a degree of nervousness and anxiety around this coming event," the Thames-Coromandel district's mayor, Len Salt, told the Stuff news website.
"Coromandel people are pretty resilient, but the fact we've been in this mode dealing with storm events from the beginning of January...people are tired.""Coromandel people are pretty resilient, but the fact we've been in this mode dealing with storm events from the beginning of January...people are tired."
Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology has said that conditions on the remote territory of Norfolk Island have begun to deteriorate because of Cyclone Gabrielle.
The island, which lies north of New Zealand, has also been placed under a red alert. Residents have been warned to stay indoors and to find the strongest part of their homes under which to take shelter.
"It's getting hectic," resident Alex McGillycuddy told ABC News, adding that the wind has become so strong it was hard to stand up outside.
"Some of the people here, they haven't seen anything like this and they've been here 25 years," he said.
Only three cyclones have come within a 50km (31 mile) range of the island in the past 30-40 years.
New Zealand braces for Cyclone GabrielleNew Zealand braces for Cyclone Gabrielle
New Zealand braces for Cyclone GabrielleNew Zealand braces for Cyclone Gabrielle
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