An "atmospheric river" that brought days of severe rainfall has destroyed roads and homes and forced the evacuation of more than 400 households.Flood waters swept th

" that brought days of severe rainfall has destroyed roads and homes and forced the evacuation of more than 400 households.

Flood waters swept through streets and down highways as a result of heavy rain. 

Numerous thousand houses have suffered damage

. The floods destroyed the structures and roadways, and businesses and schools were forced to be closed. Residents had to wade through chest-deep water or use kayaks to get to safety.

In addition, thousands of international travelers were left stranded when 

Auckland International Airport was temporarily closed

. All domestic and international flights were canceled. Sandbags and pumps are still prepared at Auckland Airport in case of additional flooding. The city's road system is still partially under water, and several rail lines are not in service.

Grant Robertson, the finance minister, told reporters in Auckland on Wednesday that 

the flood would be the "largest non-earthquake incident" the nation has ever seen in terms of insurance

. He did not yet have estimates for how much the damage would probably cost.

According to a spokeswoman for the Insurance Council of New Zealand, at least 20,000 claims have already been filed, and the figure is expected to keep growing for weeks.

Forecasters had spoken of severe rain in Auckland before the deluge on Jan 26th, 

but the terrifying speed and volume of the downpour - which saw 250mm of rainfall in sections of the city's north, south, and west - caught many by surprise

The torrential rain was brought on by a slow-moving subtropical low-pressure system over Auckland, and it was made worse by humid La Nia conditions and a maritime heatwave that had already produced an exceptionally hot and humid summer to New Zealand.

, signs of a flooded and destroyed city started to show up: 138 buildings now have red placards, indicating that entry is forbidden without council approval, while 542 other buildings have yellow placards restricting use. Streets throughout the city are littered with fallen trees, garbage, and mud.

According to deputy controller for emergency management in Auckland, Rachel Kelleher, more than 600 flood-damaged vehicles had been taken off the city's roadways. Many Homes are still in danger from landslides and sinkholes. On Wednesday afternoon, a house in Orua Bay, a rural Auckland community, crashed down a cliff onto the beach, trapping one person inside. 

State routes in the Coromandel peninsula, east of Auckland, are closed, and homes there are perilously close to collapsing. Heavy rain warnings are still in effect for this area. 

Wayne Brown, the mayor of the city, came under fire for what his adversaries said to be poor communication and a slow response time

 from his administration as the rain got heavier. Leaked WhatsApp group conversation communications showed that Brown lamented having to postpone a tennis match the following day in order to "deal with media drongos."

On Monday, Brown insisted that he had done nothing wrong but promised to conduct an impartial investigation into the storm response. However, in his Tuesday (Jan 31st) cabinet reshuffle, New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins named a new minister for the city of Auckland.

economists have also cautioned that the flooding may result in temporary price increases (short term Inflation)

 for fresh produce, rent, transportation, and construction.

As cleanup efforts get under way, the calamity is raising concerns about the rising expense of the climate problem for New Zealand, which in 2022 

for claims connected to extreme weather. 

Auckland floods: ‘biggest climate event’ in New Zealand’s history

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