New Zealand counts cost of Auckland floods, more rain forecast - Reuters

WELLINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Flood-ravaged Auckland is forecast to person further dense rainfall successful the coming days, authorities successful New Zealand's largest metropolis said connected Monday, arsenic insurers counted the costs of what looks apt to beryllium the country's astir costly upwind lawsuit ever.

Four radical mislaid their lives successful flash floods and landslides that deed Auckland implicit the past 3 days amid grounds downpours. A authorities of exigency remains successful spot successful Auckland. A authorities of exigency successful the Waitomo portion southbound of Auckland was lifted.

Flights successful and retired of Auckland Airport are inactive experiencing delays and cancellations, beaches astir the metropolis of 1.6 cardinal are closed and each Auckland schools volition stay closed until Feb. 7.

"There has been precise important harm crossed Auckland," New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told state-owned tv presumption TVNZ connected Monday. "Obviously determination were a fig of homes damaged by flooding but besides extended world movements."

Currently, astir 350 radical were successful request of exigency accommodation, helium added.

LOOMING CLOUDS

Metservice is forecasting further dense rains to deed the already sodden metropolis precocious connected Tuesday.

"We person much adverse upwind coming and we request to hole for that," Auckland Emergency Management work controller Rachel Kelleher told a media conference.

Fire and Emergency services received 30 callouts overnight Monday, including responding to a landslide erstwhile a carport slid down a hill.

The assembly has designated 69 houses arsenic uninhabitable and has prevented radical from entering them. A further 300 properties were deemed astatine risk, with entree restricted to definite areas for abbreviated periods.

The northbound of New Zealand's North Island is receiving much rainfall than mean due to the La Nina upwind event.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said Auckland has already recorded much than 8 times its mean January rainfall and 40% of its yearly mean rainfall.

INSURERS FACE HEFTY BILL

The outgo of the cleanable up is expected to apical the NZ$97 cardinal ($63 million) measure for flooding connected the West Coast successful 2021 but volition not beryllium anyplace adjacent arsenic costly arsenic the estimated NZ$31 cardinal insured costs of 2 large earthquakes successful Christchurch successful 2010-2011, said Insurance Council of New Zealand spokesperson Christian Judge.

Insurance Australia Group's (IAG.AX) New Zealand divisions person received implicit 5,000 claims truthful far and Suncorp Group (SUN.AX) said it received astir 3,000 claims crossed the Vero and AA Insurance Brands. New Zealand's Tower (TWR.NZ) said it had received astir 1,900 claims.

"The fig of claims is expected to emergence further implicit the coming days, with the lawsuit inactive unfolding and arsenic customers place harm to their property," IAG said successful a statement.

Economists accidental the betterment and rebuild could adhd to inflationary pressures successful New Zealand arsenic vehicles and household goods request to beryllium replaced and determination is an summation successful operation enactment needed to repair oregon rebuild houses and infrastructure damaged by the flooding.

($1 = 1.5385 New Zealand dollars)

Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Lincoln Feast

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