Severe rain tips Auckland into chaos

A state of emergency was declared in Auckland last night after a deluge lashed the region.

One person was found dead after the severe weather event caused widespread flooding. Residents were evacuated from their western suburbs’ homes, and Elton John’s concert was cancelled.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown declared a state of local emergency in the region late last night.

Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said the National Emergency Management Agency would co-ordinate a national response, using resources from across the countryd.

Police last night confirmed that a deceased person was located in Wairau Valley. They were notified about 7.25pm after the body was seen by a member of the public, near Target Rd. The person’s identify had yet to be confirmed.

Rain and severe thunderstorms drenched the region from yesterday morning onwards, with MetService reporting an Auckland Council weather station registered 60mm of rain over one hour. Residents were evacuated from flooded homes across the city.

More than a month’s worth of rain fell, with the average for January at 59.6mm, according to MetService meteorologist Amy Rossiter. About 71mm of rain fell across Auckland between 7pm and 8pm alone yesterday. The highest amount of rainfall, about 244mm over a 12-hour period, fell near Albany. It was also the wettest day on record since 1976 for Auckland Airport, which received 178mm.

A house in the suburb of Ranui was lifted off its foundations by floodwater which reportedly rose halfway up the windows. A person still trapped inside had to be rescued by emergency services.

Police, fire services and the military were all called in to help.

The wild weather proved too much for Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium with a lastminute cancellation of the Elton John concert, with a spokesperson saying it was ‘‘far too dangerous’’. The announcement was met with screams from the crowd, thought to be about 40,000. It is the second time John has had to cancel in Tāmaki Makaurau, after he was forced to cut off his show in 2020 after falling ill with pneumonia.

Flooding also saw cancellations of all Auckland rail services. State Highway 1 at Brynderwyn and State Highway 12 were closed to traffic in both directions.

Auckland fire crews responded to more than 1500 callouts relating to the weather, with a spokesperson saying every fire truck in Auckland had been dispatched.

Shea Carr and her partner noticed water coming up through the floor of their Ranui home, with it reaching their knees before they made the decision to get out.

They saved as much of their personal property as they could, piling items on the kitchen table, benches and beds. ‘‘I’ve got my dog, I’ve got my partner and I’ve got the wet clothes I’m wearing,’’ Carr said.

Eleven beaches across Auckland were also black flagged because of wastewater overflow which occurs when wastewater or sewage spills out from gully traps, manholes, engineered overflow points or pump stations.

To add to the weather woes, flights in and out of Auckland Airport were diverted, delayed and cancelled after a plane damaged several runway lights while landing, and the international terminal was flooded.