‘Absolutely terrifying’ New Zealand storm leaves 30,000 homes without power

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by ReutersFebruary 16, 2026 at 06:26 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

A severe storm struck New Zealand's North Island on Monday, causing widespread disruption and leaving 30,000 homes without power. Heavy rain and strong winds led to the closure of roads and the disruption of flights, trains, and ferries. Air New Zealand paused operations at several airports, including Wellington, Napier, and Palmerston North, with some flights resuming later in the day. The storm caused flooding in some areas, damaging homes and infrastructure, with reports of trees falling on vehicles and roads collapsing. Residents described the weather as "absolutely terrifying," noting the severity of the winds and damage.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Wayne Feisst 30% Puketotara 40% Bunnythorpe 40% Marilyn Bulford 40% The New Zealand Herald 40% Palmerston North 50% Napier 50% Air New Zealand 60% Wellington ×370% North Island 70% New Zealand ×290%

Keywords

new zealand storm 90% power outage 80% heavy rain 70% strong winds 70% flooding 60% flight disruptions 60% road closure 50% weather 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.70

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

New Zealand

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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new zealand storm power outage heavy rain strong winds flooding flight disruptions road closure weather

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