Severe rains and winds on Monday disrupted flight services and left thousands of properties without power across New Zealand's North Island.
More than 30,000 properties are without power after fierce winds toppled trees and power lines across much of the lower North Island, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ).
Electricity provider Powerco reported around 23,000 outages across its network, including approximately 10,000 in the Wellington region alone.
Images circulating online show flooded semi-rural neighborhoods, waterlogged homes, and sections of road washed away after floodwaters receded.
The Manawatu-Whanganui region has been particularly hard hit and is now under a state of emergency.
Evacuations are underway on Lincoln Road in Masterton due to the danger posed by falling trees.
Wairarapa assistant commander Ian Wright described a busy night of weather-related callouts that are ongoing, warning that falling trees remain the greatest hazard.
He said shallow-rooted trees on Lincoln Road are "very, very unstable, so both roads have been closed and the people have been evacuated."
Air NZ has cancelled flights in and out of several major centers, including the capital, Wellington, because of the strong winds.
"Safety is paramount, and we are continuing to closely monitor conditions, with winds expected to reduce later this morning when we expect to resume services," chief operating officer Alex Marren said.
Five districts—Manawatu, Rangitikei, Tararua, Waipa, and Otorohanga—are under states of emergency.
Wind gusts have reached up to 240 kilometers per hour (149 miles per hour) on the east coast of the lower North Island, including at Cape Turnagain, while high parts of Wellington recorded gusts of up to 190 km/h and around 130 km/h in the city.
The severe winds and heavy rain are expected to persist over the lower North Island before gradually shifting south later on Monday.
