WELLINGTON, 12 FEB – The New Zealand government has urged residents to take shelter and prepare to evacuate their homes in anticipation of Cyclone Gabrielle, which is expected to hit the northern tip of the archipelago in the evening. “Our main message to people across the country is: take the weather warning seriously and make sure you are prepared,” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters. “Make sure you have first aid kits, know where to go in case you need to evacuate your homes,” he added. New Zealand’s meteorological office recorded wind gusts of up to 140 km/h in the north of the country on Sunday morning and forecast torrential rain. “Given Gabrielle’s location and intensity, there is a very high risk of severe, and unprecedented weather over many parts of the north of the Island Sunday through Tuesday,” he warned. The cyclone, which hits New Zealand two weeks after devastating flooding in the same region, is expected to weaken and slowly head south Monday through Tuesday. (HANDLE).
(ANSA)
