New Zealand’s North Island was hit by strong winds from Cyclone Cook. The powerful storm system hit the Bay of Plenty region.
Cook, which forecasters feared could be the worst storm to strike New Zealand in decades, made landfall just after when many coastal villages were abandoned as five-metre swells combined with high tide and smashed against the deserted shoreline.
Among the hardest-hit areas were Northland, the Bay of Plenty, and Hawkes Bay, where thousands were left without power at the height of the storm.
Cyclone Cook’s heavy rains followed on from flooding caused by ex-tropical Cyclone Debbie, which hit New Zealand earlier after causing widespread damage on Australia’s northeast coast.
