Air New Zealand cancels flights as South Island hit by storm
Christchurch and two other districts on New Zealand’s South Island have declared a state of emergency after being battered by former cyclone Gita.
Air New Zealand has cancelled all flights in and out of the capital Wellington, which is on the North Island, and flights from other airports, including Queenstown, have also been disrupted.
Roads have been closed on the South Island following the storm, which made landfall bringing the danger of floods and winds of up to 90mph. Residents in low-lying areas of been urged to evacuate.
The Grey District and Buller Districts on South Island are in a state of emergency, along with Christchurch.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that troops have been sent to areas that were likely to be hardest hit by the storm. The National Civil Defence office in Wellington is also on standby.
Gita has already badly damaged the Pacific islands of Tonga and Fiji, where people were injured and buildings damaged.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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