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Thousands of New Zealanders were ordered to evacuate their homes on Saturday as the country\u2019s North Island braced for Cyclone Vaianu, which authorities warned could cause coastal flooding and landslides.<\/p>\n
Vaianu, forecast to bring heavy rain and winds of up to 130 km\/h (80 mp\/h), was expected to hit on Sunday, then pass west of the remote Chatham Islands on Monday, the country\u2019s weather forecaster said.<\/p>\n
Several regions were under emergency declarations on Saturday, with authorities ordering evacuations in some parts of Whakat\u0101ne, population 37,150, about 430km (270 miles) north of national capital Wellington.<\/p>\n \u201cResidents should plan to be away for at least two days,\u201d the Whakat\u0101ne district council posted on Facebook. On coastal areas, the storm could cause landslides, storm surges, waves of up to 13m and coastal flooding, it said.<\/p>\n The prime minister, Christopher Luxon, said on Friday the cyclone had the potential to be damaging and urged those in its path to prepare for impact.<\/p>\n \u201cMake sure drains are free, check in on the neighbours, and be prepared for possible power cuts,\u201d Luxon said on X.<\/p>\n Vaianu has conjured up the painful memory of 2023\u2019s Cyclone Gabrielle<\/a>, which killed 11 and displaced thousands in one of New Zealand\u2019s biggest natural disasters this century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n