What happens when a city is hit by more rain in an hour than it can handle in a week?
That’s exactly the nightmare unfolding in Wellington, where flash floods have forced officials to declare a state of emergency.
In just under an hour, a staggering 77mm of rain drenched the city—turning streets into rivers, sweeping cars aside, and triggering landslides.
Videos show chaos: uprooted trees, submerged vehicles, and homes under threat.
“The flooding has been strong enough to move cars,” said Mayor Andrew Little, capturing the sheer force of the storm.
Residents are being told to stay put—or leave early if they must.
Flights are grounded, schools are shut, and emergency shelters are opening.
Extreme Weather Escalates
More than a dozen people have already been evacuated, while a 60-year-old man remains missing.
And this isn’t a one-off. Just days after Cyclone Vaianu swept through, the region is being hit again.
Experts have long warned that climate change is making extreme weather more frequent—and more intense.
So, is this the new normal? As one resident put it, the floodwaters didn’t just rise—they roared through like a river.
The rain may stop soon. But the bigger storm—the one reshaping our climate—shows no sign of slowing down.
