Auckland Braces For More Flooding as Next Rain Storm Approaches

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JANUARY 30: Konini Rd in Titirangi is closed with slips and flooding on January 30, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, was hit with a historic amount of torrential rainfall on Friday, causing severe flooding which inundated roads and property across the city, with three people so far confirmed dead. Residents and emergency services began to take stock of the damage from the largest amount of rainfall in a day on record, and began recovery efforts over the weekend. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images) , Photographer: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Tracy Withers, Bloomberg News

Jan 30, 2023

Share

(Bloomberg) -- Auckland is bracing for another rain deluge later Tuesday that threatens more surface flooding and land slips on ground already sodden after a record downpour.

New Zealand’s MetService is forecasting that a new weather system will strike the nation’s largest city from late afternoon and persist into Wednesday morning. It issued a red-category heavy rain warning, predicting thunder, gales and localized downpours of as much as 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) an hour.

“Our concern is that Auckland is really vulnerable to rain,” senior forecaster Georgina Griffiths told a media briefing in Auckland. “We’re completely saturated, our rivers are up, groundwaters are up. The rain can exacerbate flooding quite quickly.”

The city of 1.6 million people spent yesterday cleaning up after torrential weekend rain and flooding that disrupted travel, devastated homes and killed four people. The region is in a state of emergency after experiencing its wettest 24 hours on record over Friday evening and Saturday. 

The nation’s three biggest general insurance groups said they had received nearly 10,000 claims as of Monday, adding that it is too early to assess their likely costs.

Residents returning to work Tuesday after an Auckland public holiday Monday are being urged to travel only when necessary, and to consider working from home. Schools that were due to resume after the summer vacation will be closed until Feb. 7 following a directive from the Education Ministry aimed at reducing traffic flows.

While roads and other infrastructure are being brought back into service, officials urged caution. Slips will continue to affect rail and public bus services, they said. There is a warning that high winds could disrupt Tuesday evening travel on the city’s Harbour Bridge. 

Auckland has seen 38% of its annual rainfall this month alone, with January set to be its wettest month on record, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research said. The weather reflects the impact of atmospheric rivers, which are thin jets of air that move moisture beyond the tropics, it said. 

A similar phenomenon caused a series of deluges in California from late December to early January, killing at least 17 people and flooding cities and towns.

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.