Heavy rains t did not subside for a fourth way on the south island of New Zealand have caused floods that have forced at least 1,200 people to evacuate their homes, according to the Guardian.
Nelson’s mayor, Rachel Reese, a city with a population of more than 50,000, said that the city received severe damage and that the city's infrastructure will "take years, not months" to repair.
“The damage that I saw in Nelson was heartbreaking. We are years away from a recovery,” Local Civil Defense group controller Alec Louverdis said, as quoted by the Guardian.
According to reports, some residents were warned that they might not be able to return to their homes, as the houses could not be rebuilt.
Storms have hit New Zealand after weeks of unseasonably wet weather. Meanwhile, the meteorological service has a disappointing forecast: new precipitation is expected before the end of the week. According to the New Zealand meteorological center Metservice, up to 500 mm will fall in the mountain ranges in the west and north of the South Island by the end of the week.