In nearby Bay of Plenty there was also “widespread flooding”, police said, as well as a landslide that had knocked down a house and was threatening neighbouring properties.
“Police are asking those in areas experiencing severe weather to … not attempt to travel on the roads, many of which are currently undriveable,” police said.
In hard-hit Auckland, flights resumed at Auckland Airport, which had closed domestic and international operations on Friday.
Air New Zealand said that the airline’s international flights in and out of Auckland would resume from noon on Sunday local time (11pm GMT on Saturday).
On Saturday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, less than a week into his tenure, flew by helicopter over Auckland before touring flood-hit homes. He described the flood impact in the city as “unprecedented” in recent memory.
People made more than 2,000 calls for assistance and 70 evacuations around Auckland due to the inundation, the New Zealand Herald reported on Saturday.
On Friday, social media showed firefighters, police and defence force staff rescuing people from flooded homes using ropes and rescue boats.
City rainfall records were broken in the weather event, caused by warm air descending from the tropics, with Auckland Airport logging 249mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Saturday, beating the 1985 high of 161.8mm.
For all the latest world News Click Here
