Geez Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle’s been a bit of a handful… It’s no longer technically a tropical cyclone, but the experts say it’s not necessarily any weaker. The east coast and upper part of the North Island of New Zealand were most heavily affected yesterday, and overnight, the weather system got closer to the coast, and the whole North Island and parts of the South Island are set to be battered today. Winds up to 160km/hr and heavy rain along the Coromandel Peninsula and nearby Auckland – the country’s most populous city – have seen more than 50,000 homes lose power and mobile phone coverage drop out in parts. Late yesterday, PM Chris Hipkins said conditions “are likely to get worse before they get better” as communities were evacuated. Last night, Gabrielle is expected to “pinball” east and out to sea tonight and tomorrow. 

And while we’re talking natural disasters… Miraculously, they continue to pull survivors from the rubble after last week’s deadly earthquakes affecting large parts of Turkey and Syria. Overnight, the number of people confirmed to have died has risen to more than 35,000.