As the country begins recovering from the damages caused due to Cyclone Gabrielle, Minister of Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty announced that New Zealand will move out of State Emergency on 14th March, Tuesday.
In early February, the country was put into a state of Emergency due to floods and landslides as cyclone Gabrielle lit across the Northern part of the Island.
The Minister stated that the worst-hit areas would be moved into the transition period. This would allow the government to continue to provide aid and support to the people residing in these areas.
CYCLONE GABRIELLE‘S EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND
Cyclone Gabrielle was a tropical cyclone that affected the region of the Northern Islands of New Zealand. It struck the coast of New Zealand from 12-16th February and the state declared a National State of Emergency on 14th February 2023.
It is only the third time that a state emergency has been imposed in the history of the country. This declaration implies that now the government can send resources across the country to boost defense efforts.
It is regarded as the deadliest cyclone that has hit the coast of New Zealand since Cyclone Giselle in 1968.
Source- Wikipedia
Gabrielle was first seen as a developing tropical low on the 6th of February when it was located in the south of the Solomon Islands. The Bureau of Meteorology categorized it as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone before it began moving into the South Pacific basin. On 11th February, it degenerated into a subtropical low.
As Gabrielle approached the country, they witnessed heavy rain and wind warnings issued all across the country. A red warning was issued for areas like Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne District and Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki.
All the domestic and international flights were canceled and so were the ferry crossings. Numerous roads in several parts of the country were closed due to floods. The area around Auckland and Northland saw devastating floods. Around 9000 people were displaced overall.
FORMATION OF A CYCLONE
A cyclone is formed when warm, moist air rises from the ocean and moves upwards. Due to this upwards movement of the air, a low-pressure area is developed in that region.
When this low-pressure area is filled with high-pressure air from the surrounding region, again the same process is repeated and the cycle continues.
This continuous movement of air leads to the formation of clouds in the air. As the water from the oceans evaporates, more and more clouds keep on getting formed.
This leads to the formation of a storm system. Due to the fast rotation of this storm system, an eye is formed in the centre of this storm system.
The pressure in this storm system is very low and this area is considered to be the calmest area of a cyclone.
The strength and the destruction a cyclone can cause depend upon the strength of the wind.
Broadly cyclones can be categorized into 4 types-
1) Tropical Cyclone
These kinds of cyclones occur over the tropical oceans. There are two types of tropical cyclones -Hurricanes and Typhoons. Hurricanes are found in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific regions whereas in the Northwest Pacific region, typhoons are found.
2) Polar Cyclones
These types of cyclones are also known as Arctic hurricanes and are mostly found in the Northern Hemisphere. They are mostly formed over the Arctic and Antarctic seas. The forecast of polar cyclones is very difficult.
3) Mesocyclone
These are categorized under strong thunderstorms. In this type of cyclone, the air rotates along the vertical axis. Mesocyclones are mostly accompanied by the rotating air within the thunderstorm.
4) Extratropical Cyclone
These types of cyclones are formed in the middle latitudes hence they are also called as mid-latitude cyclones. The winds of these kinds of cyclones are weaker but the temperature is sharp.