Video shows impact of Auckland floods
Police confirmed on Saturday that three men were found dead after Friday’s deluge, which recorded a record 249mm of rainfall over 24 hours.
Some locations saw more than 150mm of rain over a three-hour period.
Footage captured by townspeople on Friday evening showed the chaos unfolding as vehicles were swept away and homes flooded.
The New Zealand meteorologist said while the heavy rain had eased further downpours were possible on Sunday.
A state of emergency has been declared for Auckland as floodwaters submerged homes and businesses.
The country’s new prime minister, Chris Hipkins, told media that more than 2,000 people were stranded at the city’s airport overnight.
“The level of devastation in some areas is considerable,” he said.
“My thoughts are with everyone in Auckland as they wake up this morning to assess the damage and face an uncertain day ahead.”
Auckland’s road network has been “severely impacted”, according to the city’s emergency management agency, urging everyone to postpone travel plans.
“Auckland was knocked out on Friday – Auckland’s wettest day on record – and today we start the cleanup,” Auckland Emergency Management Duty Controller Andrew Clark said in a statement. .
Emergency services responded to more than 2,000 calls for help, including for people trapped in homes and cars.
