New Zealand rains ‘biggest non-earthquake event’

The worst of the forecast rain moved away from New Zealand’s flood-ravaged biggest city on Wednesday after inflicting what the finance minister described as probably the “biggest non-earthquake event” in the country’s history.

Four people were killed in flash floods and landslides that hit Auckland beginning on Friday as rainfall, that authorities say has been worsened at least in part by climate change, drenched the city.

“Our job is to look after people, help people recover,” finance minister Grant Roberston told a news media briefing.

Roberston said the flooding was probably the most significant disaster apart from earthquakes that New Zealand had had to deal with in terms of insurance.

A state of emergency remains in place in Auckland but has been lifted in the Northland region to the north of the city.

Rain over the 24 hours to early Wednesday caused more surface flooding in the city of 1.6-million people and forced the closure of several roads and rail lines.

Sodden ground was causing risks particularly from landslides. A house collapsed down a cliff injuring three people in a beach settlement near Auckland on Wednesday.

The national meteorological service said the heaviest rains had passed Auckland though downpours were hitting the southeast, in the regions of Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.

Rachel Kelleher, Auckland emergency management deputy controller, said the likelihood of more flooding was lower but the waterlogged ground meant danger from landslides and falling trees.

“This has been an unprecedented event,” she said.

Auckland residents are being asked to stay out of the sea and flood waters because of fears of contamination but all schools, which had been told to close until February 7, could now open if they had not been affected by flooding.

Evacuation centres remained open across the city.

Summers in New Zealand usually bring rains but the region is experiencing the La Nina weather system, which can bring much heavier rain to the upper North Island.