New Zealand: 7-day long state of emergency declared after Cyclone Gabrielle wreaks havoc on North Island

A state of emergency was declared in New Zealand on Tuesday as Cyclone Gabrielle battered the country's North Island.

Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said the cyclone "has had major impacts across most of the North Island".

McAnulty signed the declaration at first light as emergency services struggled to cope, the minister also added that the emergency will last for seven days.

"This is a significant disaster with a real threat to the lives of New Zealanders," he told reporters in Wellington.

The state of emergency will apply to Northland, Auckland, Tairawhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Hawke's Bay.

High winds and heavy rain lashed the country's North Island overnight in what officials called an "unprecedented weather event".

Also Watch: New Zealand North Island braces for cyclone, weeks after fatal flood killed 4 in Auckland

"It's been a big night for New Zealanders. A lot of families are displaced, a lot of homes are without power," Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters in Auckland.

"There has been extensive damage across the country."

Daylight revealed the severity of the disaster: roads eaten away by landslips and collapsed homes buried in mud, silt and a slew of storm detritus.

Falling trees smashed houses and flood waters blocked several roads, leaving communities stranded.

Local media reported some traumatised residents were forced to swim from their homes to safety. Hundreds of homes and residents have been evacuated, as per local reports.

McAnulty said more rain and high winds were expected Tuesday, further hampering rescue efforts.

"The emergency services are working night and day, but the unstable ground, flood waters and closed roads are making things hard."

Hipkins has promised an aid package of 11.5 million New Zealand dollars ($7.25 million) to help recovery efforts, but McAnulty admitted the cost of the clean-up was set to spiral.

It's been just two weeks since a record-breaking storm swamped Auckland, which is New Zealand's largest city, and killed four people.

This is only the third time New Zealand has declared a state of emergency -- the other two were the 2019 Christchurch attacks and the Covid-19 pandemic.

(AFP, AP inputs)