Wellington : Thousands of residents in New Zealand have been ordered to evacuate their homes as the country’s North Island prepares for Cyclone Vaianu, which authorities warned could cause coastal flooding and landslides.
New Zealand’s meteorological service said the cyclone is expected to bring heavy rainfall and winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour, making landfall on Sunday before passing west of the remote Chatham Islands on Monday.
A state of emergency was declared in several areas on Saturday, with authorities ordering the evacuation of parts of Whakatāne, a city with a population of around 37,150 located about 430 kilometres north of the capital, Wellington.
