New Zealand to lift state of emergency on Tuesday

WELLINGTON: New Zealand will move out of a state of emergency on Tuesday as the country starts to recover from damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle last month, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty said on Monday.

The country was put into a state of emergency in early February as Gabrielle caused floods and land slides across the North Island, which left 11 people dead.

McAnulty said areas worst hit would move into a transition period which would allow the central government to continue to provide support and resources to the worst-hit areas.

"While significant progress has been made in restoring power and telecommunications, and ensuring everyone reported as uncontactable is accounted for, there are still major and ongoing impacts in these regions," McAnulty said.