Second storm in a week lashes New Zealand (1st Lead)

Jul 30, 2008, 5:33 GMT

Wellington - A woman drowned in floodwaters, a town of about 30,000 people was left without power and roads were blocked by landslides and toppled trees as the second major storm in a week lashed New Zealand Wednesday.

A civil defence emergency was declared in the Marlborough region at the top of the South Island as torrential rains and gale force winds carved an 1,100-kilometre swathe down the country, wreaking havoc in its path.

A woman was swept to her death in the Bay of Islands in northern New Zealand as she tried to cross a swollen creek to get to her house and a search was launched for her missing partner.

Schools were closed, families evacuated to safety from rising floodwaters and a mini tornado ripped roofs of houses in Mount Maunganui on the east coast of the North Island.

The 30,000 residents of Levin, 95 kilometres north of the capital Wellington, and the surrounding area were told to stay indoors after 120-kilometre-per-hour winds toppled hundreds of trees, bringing down power lines and leaving the town without electricity.

Power was also cut in parts of the South Island where roads were blocked by fallen trees and widespread flooding was reported.

Air New Zealand cancelled a number of flights in and out of Wellington airport because of the winds. The South Island ferry terminal at Picton was flooded and closed.

The MetService warned that heavy rain and winds of up to 130km/h would continue for some hours and said a huge low-pressure system over New Zealand was not expected to move away before the weekend.