Wild Storm Disrupts Flights, Thousands Without Power in New Zealand

Heavy rain and wild winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, and forced road closures across parts of New Zealand‘s North Island on Monday, February 16, taking out power to tens of thousands of residents. 

Most flights in and out of Wellington, the nation’s capital, were cancelled or delayed on Monday morning, the airport said. Air New Zealand paused operations



at Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North airports, media reported.

More than 30,000 properties were without power, including about 10,000 customers in Wellington, authorities said. 

Motorists across the Wellington region have been urged to stay off the roads, while several schools were closed as emergency crews responded to widespread damage.