New Zealand police search for 8 people still missing after Cyclone Gabrielle
- Severe weather again hit the North Island on Friday, with storms triggering flash floods and evacuation warnings in and around Auckland
- Gabrielle hit on February 12, leaving at least 11 dead and thousands displaced
Gabrielle hit the island’s northern region on February 12 and then battered the east coast, leaving at least 11 dead and displacing thousands.
“The remaining number of people includes those who, for a variety of reasons, do not engage with authorities,” New Zealand police said early on Sunday.
“Regardless, getting in touch with those remaining eight remains a priority for police, and our staff are exploring all avenues to try and locate them.”
More than 6,000 were missing in the immediate aftermath of the storm with communications disrupted in many areas, but that number has fallen in the wake of recovery efforts.
Severe weather again hit the North Island on Friday, with heavy rain prompting more evacuations in Hawke’s Bay, one of the regions hardest-hit by Gabrielle.
Storms triggered flash floods and evacuation warnings in and around Auckland, the nation’s largest city with a population of around 1.6 million.
