Wild weather in New Zealand disrupts flights, shutters schools


Strong winds hit Lyall bay in Wellington, New Zealand May 1, 2025. REUTERS/Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Schools were closed and flights cancelled as New Zealand's capital Wellington was hit by its strongest winds in over a decade on Thursday while a state of emergency was declared in parts of the South Island after 24 hours of heavy rain.

Average wind speeds reached up to 87 kilometres an hour (54mph) in Wellington, the strongest since 2013, while gusts south of the capital in coastal Baring Head touched 160 kilometres an hour, the government forecaster said.

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