August 18, 2022 

Hundreds of families on New Zealand’s South Island have been forced to leave their homes following an intense flooding that has prompted a state of emergency in three regions.

Reports say, the extreme weather has caused rivers to burst their banks, felled trees, and blocking major roads.

The state of emergency was declared on Wednesday in Buller, on the west coast, and Nelson city — where 233 homes have been evacuated after a month’s worth of rain fell in just 15 hours.

Nelson City mayor, Rachel Reese described the flash flooding as a “one-in-100-year event” as search and rescue teams, plus military personnel, helped people on submerged streets.

Meanwhile, the country’s Emergency Management Minister, Kieran McAnulty visited Nelson city this Thursday, promising financial aid to the flood-ravaged town.