New Zealand has declared a national state of emergency as ex-tropical Cyclone Gabrielle continues to batter the North Island with severe flooding and landslides. It’s just the 3rd time the country has made the declaration – the ​​2011 Christchurch earthquake and the pandemic were the other 2 crises – and it allows Kiwi officials to deploy additional resources to the hardest-hit areas, including Auckland. Emergency Minister Kieran McAnulty said the worst of the storm has passed, but heavy rain and damaging winds are expected to continue for days. PM Chris Hipkins says it’s “too early” to say how many are affected, but at least 225,000 people are currently without power, and there are reports of people being trapped on their roofs/in cars in the Hawkes Bay-Tairāwhiti regions. These pictures show the extent of the damage – yikes…