Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/WELLINGTON: As New Zealand begins its long road to recovery following Cyclone Gabrielle’s devastation, the number of people who are still unreachable has decreased as communications in hard-hit areas improve, the police commissioner of the country said on Monday.
The cyclone made landfall in the northernmost region of the North Island on February 12 and tracked down the east coast, wreaking havoc. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has described Gabrielle as New Zealand’s worst natural disaster this century, according to the BBC.
Police Commissioner of New Zealand Andrew Coster told the AM Show on Monday that they had contacted 4,000 of the 6,500 people who had not been in contact since the cyclone. He claimed that the gap is closing.
Eleven people died
Police have confirmed 11 deaths in cyclone-related circumstances, most of which occurred in Hawke’s Bay. Coster predicted that the number of fatalities would rise, but he added that most of those currently out of contact are doing so due to communication difficulties.
On Sunday, police attempted to determine the whereabouts of over 3,000 people. Recovery efforts are ongoing, with search and rescue teams working in cyclone-damaged areas and some homes still without power or telecommunications. Roads are closed, and people need help getting cash.
Coster also stated that police were seeing an increase in family violence in Hawke’s Bay, with incidents increasing by around 60%, and that more police had been brought into the area to not only assist with recovery but also to respond to this.
