New Zealand's Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty, signed on Monday the declaration on the national state of emergency over Cyclone Gabrielle.
McAnulty wrote on his Twitter account that this is only the third time in the history of the country that a national state of emergency has been introduced. "This is an unprecedented weather event that is having major impacts across much of the North Island," he said.
"The declaration will apply to the 6 regions that declared a local State of Emergency: Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato & Hawkes Bay," McAnulty noted.
