New Zealand has extended the country’s state of emergency for another seven days, after Cyclone Gabrielle hit the northern parts of the island last week.
On Monday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins also announced an additional NZ$250m (£129.6m) to fix damaged roads and a NZ$50m (£25.9m)-support package to give immediate relief for businesses.
At least 11 people have died, and thousands of others are uncontactable.
About a quarter of a million people are without power, while falling trees have smashed houses, and landslides have carried others away and blocked roads.
This is only the third time in New Zealand’s history that the country has issued a national emergency declaration to speed up rescue and relief efforts – the last time was in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake in 2011.
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