Tropical cyclone kills at least nine people in New Zealand

At least nine people have died due to landslides and flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle, which hit the North Island of New Zealand on February 13, the country's police said on Friday, Report informs via TASS.

According to law enforcement agencies, the bodies of nine dead have been found so far. There were also reports of 4,500 residents of the region who did not get in touch with relatives and friends after the disaster.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the destruction in cities and towns on the North Island is "very significant," but there is no reason to believe that the death toll will rise significantly.

As Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters on Friday, the Hawke's Bay region (located 300 km north of Wellington on the east coast of the North Island) was hit hardest. "The situation there is very difficult, there is no electricity in the region and the evacuation centers are overcrowded. Water and mud have destroyed houses and crops and it is likely that the effects of this cyclone will be felt for quite some time," he said.

Most of the people evacuated due to floods are still unable to return to their homes, at least 62,000 people across the North Island remain without electricity and communications, and water purification systems have failed in several cities.