Cyclone Gita live updates: Strong winds and heavy rain batter New Zealand
Tue, 02/20/2018 - 5:50am
By
News Hub NZ
Seven provinces of New Zealand are in a state of emergency as the remnants of Cyclone Gita bear down, bringing howling winds and torrential rain.
Here's what we know:
- State of emergency declared in Christchurch, Buller District, Grey District, Selwyn, Westland, Tasman and Taranaki
- Civil Defence staff have been pre-deployed to the areas that will be worst affected
- More than 40 tourists were trapped in buses in Whataroa overnight, two hours south of Greymouth
- More than fifty schools and daycare centres closed on Tuesday with some expected to close on Wednesday too
- Flights and trains have been cancelled, and SH1 north of Kaikoura is closed
- State Highway 6 has been closed from Westport to Greymouth and from Hokitika to Franz Josef Glacier
- State Highway 60 has been closed from Riwaka to Tākaka
- Riwaka residents have been evacuated as the river is near to bursting its banks