13 still missing after Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand

FILE PHOTO: A view of flood damage in the the aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, in this picture released on February 15, 2023. New Zealand Defence Force/Handout via REUTERS

SYDNEY — The number of people still unaccounted for in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle that battered New Zealand nearly two weeks ago has dropped to 13, authorities said Saturday, as heavy rain overnight prompted evacuations on the country’s North Island.

Gabrielle struck New Zealand on February 12, causing widespread devastation across the North Island, leaving at least 11 people dead and displacing thousands.

The number of people uncontactable exceeded 6,000 following the cyclone as communications were knocked out in many areas, but has receded amid recovery efforts.

READ: Heavy rains forecast for cyclone-hit areas of New Zealand

“Getting in touch with those remaining 13 remains a priority for police and we are working as fast as we can,” New Zealand police said in a statement early on Saturday.

In Hawke’s Bay, one of the areas worst hit by Gabrielle, heavy rains overnight brought a renewed flood risk to the region where an evacuation order was in place, Hawke’s Bay Emergency Management Group said.

Homes in the Esk Valley locality had “been unoccupied since the cyclone, but an additional 26 households evacuated yesterday,” the agency said.

About 680 kilometers (422 miles) north, at the town of Mangawhai in Northland, more than 200 people sheltered in camps on Friday night as rain caused landlips that blocked road exits, Radio New Zealand reported.

READ: Cyclone death toll in New Zealand rises to 11 as recovery continues

The wild weather also triggered flash floods and evacuation warnings in and around Auckland, the nation’s largest city with a population of around 1.6 million.

New Zealand weather forecaster MetService had a heavy rain warning in place on Saturday for large swaths of the North Island’s east coast, including Hawke’s Bay.

“Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous,” the forecaster said.

READ: Cyclone Gabrielle moves away from New Zealand, recovery efforts begin