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Severe Flooding Hits Wellington, Evacuations Urged as Search Begins

4/20/2026

28 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Wellington, New Zealand, faced severe flash flooding on April 20, 2026, after 77 mm of rain in under an hour, shortly after Cyclone Vaianu impacted the North Island.
Mayor Andrew Little urged evacuations for low-lying areas as emergency services logged 150 calls overnight.
A search was underway for a missing man in Karori.
The Wellington Region Emergency Management Office urged residents to move to higher ground for 24 hours.

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Story summary

Wellington, New Zealand, faced severe flash flooding on April 20, 2026, after 77 mm of rain in under an hour, shortly after Cyclone Vaianu impacted the North Island.
Mayor Andrew Little urged evacuations for low-lying areas as emergency services logged 150 calls overnight.
A search was underway for a missing man in Karori.
The Wellington Region Emergency Management Office urged residents to move to higher ground for 24 hours.