Update 2023-02-15: According to the sources, landslides and flooding have cut off some coastal communities in Wairarapa, and MetService has issued a new severe weather warning for the Wellington region. Furthermore, an orange heavy rain warning is in effect for Wellington’s eastern hills and Wairarapa south of Masterton from Wednesday (15 February) at 10 pm (local time) to Thursday (16 February) at 6 pm (local time). The MetService has warned that up to 100mm of rain could fall, causing streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips, as well as hazardous driving conditions, are also possible. Moreover, helicopters and other aerial reinforcements were deployed to help with rescue missions in Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast. According to authorities, the centre completed more than dozens of rescue missions involving hundreds of people in just 24 hours. In addition, more than 140,000 people were still without power across the affected areas.
