New Zealand’s death toll from Cyclone Gabrielle is currently four, including a child killed in floodwaters near Napier, with grave fears for several others.
Police confirmed the body of a young person, who they believe was caught in rising water, was located in Eskdale on Tuesday.
In an update on Wednesday afternoon, a police spokesman said 1442 people have been reported to police as uncontactable, with the vast majority in Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti.
“While we expect a large number of the reports to be the result of communication lines being down, police can confirm there are several people missing in the Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti areas, for whom we have grave concerns,” a statement read.
The child’s death is one of three fatalities in Hawke’s Bay, one of the hardest-hit regions in the storm.
A woman was killed inside a home on Tuesday when a landslip fell on the property in Putorino, a small town 50 kilometres north of Napier.
Fire and Emergency NZ were first alerted to the landslip early on Tuesday morning, but were unable to attend due to flooding.
Another body was found on the beach at Bay View, in Napier’s north, on Tuesday night, which police have linked to Gabrielle.
FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory suggested further deaths from the mammoth storm would be likely across the country.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who have potentially lost their lives last night. It’s a really difficult time for New Zealand,” he said.
FENZ has lost one of its own in the cyclone, with a volunteer firefighter trapped in a collapsed house in Muriwai, on Auckland’s west coast.
A search for the firefighter was delayed on Tuesday due to fears for the safety of those involved, but produced the man’s body on Wednesday morning.
Earlier on Wednesday, Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty said he didn’t have an expectation the death toll would rise but “it wouldn’t surprise”.
“Obviously we hope that that doesn’t happen. But this is a serious event that already led to two deaths … there are still rescues to happen,” he said.
Police are redeploying 70 staff from across NZ to the eastern district in the coming days “to support recovery efforts and provide community reassurance”.
