Man swept away at river crossing as severe flooding forces evacuations in New Zealand
Fears for man swept away in his car as torrential rain hammers New Zealand
- Police in New Zealand are searching for a man who went missing after he and his vehicle were swept away during a river crossing near Warkworth, north of Auckland.
- Torrential rainfall has caused widespread flooding and landslides across parts of the North Island, leading to life-threatening conditions and prompting authorities to issue red heavy rain warnings.
- Local councils have urged residents in low-lying areas to move to higher ground or prepare for evacuation, with several districts declaring local states of emergency.
- The severe weather, driven by an "extremely moist air mass from the tropics", has resulted in numerous road closures, submerged farmland, and homes surrounded by floodwater.
- Emergency services have warned of serious risks from fast-moving water and unstable ground, as New Zealand faces increasing pressure on infrastructure from extreme rainfall events, which scientists link to warming temperatures.