Severe Flooding Trigger State of Emergency in Wellington New Zealand

NEW ZALAND – Severe flooding and landslides resulted to a state of emergency in Wellington, New Zealand on Monday after torrential rains, according to local reports.

At least one person has gone missing, according to Radio New Zealand.

The national weather agency upgraded its warnings of more heavy rain in Wellington and the Wairarapa region to red until Tuesday night.

The country’s weather authority Metservice said the forecast rain presents a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding, and slips.

“We are asking people to take this seriously, follow safety advice, and act early if they are in low-lying or flood-prone areas, which are those that have experienced multiple flooding events in recent years,” said Carrie McKenzie, an official of the Wellington Civil Defense Emergency Management.

The authority warned Wellington residents living in flood-prone areas to move to safer locations for the next 24 hours.

It also encouraged people to “act quickly and not wait for official warnings if they think they need to evacuate.”