Inclement weather disrupts flights

SCHOOLS were closed and flights cancelled as New Zealand’s capital Wellington was hit by its strongest winds in over a decade yesterday while a state of emergency was declared in parts of the South Island after 24 hours of heavy rain.

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Average wind speeds reached up to 87 kilometres an hour in Wellington, the strongest since 2013, while gusts south of the capital in coastal Baring Head touched 160 kilometres an hour, the government forecaster said.

The highest possible red wind warning has been put in place for Wellington while a state of emergency was called in parts of the South Island, including New Zealand's second-largest city, Christchurch.

“This is certainly bigger than your average bad Wellington day,’ said Dan Neely, a spokesperson for the Wellington region's emergency management department.