The Guardian, WELLINGTONPart of New Zealand’s South Island has been cut off after days of torrential rains washed away roads and forced 2,000 people to evacuate, and as the national weather authority, MetService, issued its first ever red weather warning. Lewis Ferris at MetService said the storms had generated its first red warning, a new alert the agency created in May last year. The gas — harmful to people and the environment — would likely be released into the floodwaters, though emergency management authorities hope it would be diluted by the water. Those living on higher ground in Gore were allowed to stay, but should expect to be without power or water until today, emergency management officials said. Those people were being evacuated by helicopter yesterday, officials said.

Source: Taipei Times February 05, 2020 15:56 UTC