New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency on Tuesday as Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread flooding, landslides and huge ocean swells, forcing evacuations and stranding people on rooftops.
Cancelled flights stranded thousands of people, while hundreds of thousands remained without power.
About two hundred and twenty-two thousand people were left without electricity, while dozens of supermarkets closed, with Hipkins urging New Zealanders not to panic-buy supplies.
