Nationwide state of emergency as Gabrielle hammers motu

Peter Verschaffelt Nationwide state of emergency as Gabrielle hammers motu

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Emergency Management is still trying to get to grips with the full extent of the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle, with Emergency Response Minister Kieran McAnulty this morning declaring a nationwide state of emergency.

Gisborne was completely cut off, and there are extensive road closures and power outages throughout the North Island.

Firefighters in Muriwai this morning resumed the search for a colleague who disappeared when a slip crashed into a house on Maotutara Rd.

Civil Defence operations manager Roger Ball says it was a torrid and challenging night for people across the motu, but some areas have been hit particularly hard.

Roger Ball says the eye of the storm is expected to move off southeast from Great Barrier over the day but red warnings are still in place for the upper and middle North Island.

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