Cyclone Becky’s effects felt across New Zealand’s far north by Steph Ball
Emergency services were swamped with calls today, across Northland, in the far north of New Zealand’s North Island, as torrential rains from nearby tropical cyclone Becky continued to hammer the region.
Becky is currently lying to the northeast of New Caledonia, an island sited to the north of New Zealand, having rapidly weakened over the last twelve hours.
However it has brought severe flooding problems across New Zealand’s scenic Bay of Islands region with the equivalent of three months rain reportedly falling in 36 hours. Up to 450mm (17.72 inches) of rain is said to have fallen over Northland causing chaos as the rivers broke their banks and flood waters quickly rose.
The Historic Places Trust staff were battling to save two of New Zealand’s oldest buildings, the Kerikeri Mission Station which was built in 1822, plus the neighbouring Stone Store.
Flooding was also experienced as far south as New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland.
Tropical Cyclone Becky is forecast to weaken further over the next 24 hours as it nudges ever closer to New Caledonia.
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