Eight severe weather-related states of emergency have already been declared this year, matching the total for all of 2025, as heavy rain and flooding prompted new emergency orders across parts of the North Island.
So far this year, New Zealand has seen more severe weather state of emergency declarations than in 21 of the past 24 years, according to Civil Defence data.
Authorities in Ōtorohanga District, Waipā District, and the Manawatū‑Whanganui Region declared states of emergency over the weekend as heavy rain and flooding spread across the country.
A man was found dead when his ute was submerged in floodwaters on State Highway 39 between Pirongia and Ōtorohanga on Friday evening.
Scientists at NIWA say a warmer atmosphere driven by climate change can intensify storms because it can hold more moisture, allowing weather systems to produce heavier rainfall and stronger winds.
The year began with a deadly subtropical low tracking toward the upper North Island, prompting states of emergency to be declared in Whangārei District, Thames-Coromandel District, Hauraki District, the Bay of Plenty Region, and Tairāwhiti Region between January 20 and 21.
Nine people died during that late-January system. Six were killed when a landslide struck a Mount Maunganui holiday park, two died after a landslide hit a Pāpāmoa home, and another man died when his vehicle was swept away near Warkworth.
Whitianga and Tauranga also recorded their wettest days since observations began.
Follow 1News live updates on the weather event here.
What is a state of emergency?
A state of emergency is a formal legal mechanism under the Civil Defence Emergency Management framework that activates special powers for authorised officials responding to an emergency.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), a declaration provides "extra‑ordinary powers" that enable a swift and effective response when normal arrangements are not enough.
Local authority delegated representatives, mayors, or the Emergency Management Minister can declare a state of emergency. Most declarations are local, applying to a district or region. A national state of emergency is rare, and used only when the scale of an event exceeds local capability. In New Zealand, there have been three declared: the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the Covid-19 pandemic, and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.
Not every emergency requires a declaration, with the threshold set for when immediate or expected danger exceeds what can be managed under normal powers. Once declared, emergency powers available to Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups and controllers include the ability to:
- Close or restrict access to roads or public places
- Remove or secure dangerous structures and materials
- Provide rescue, first aid, food, shelter, etc
- Conserve essential supplies & regulate traffic
- Dispose of dead persons and animals
- Enter onto premises e.g. to rescue people or save lives
- Evacuate premises/places
- Remove vehicles, vessels etc
- Requisition equipment, materials and assistance.
These powers remain in effect for up to seven days, unless the declaration is extended or terminated earlier.
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