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
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports