WELLINGTON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Authorities on Monday ordered evacuations in parts of Wellington, New Zealand's capital, and canceled Cook Strait ferries on Monday as swells of up to 10.5 meters were forecast.
A state of emergency was declared for Wellington's southern and eastern areas, with Civil Defense issuing a mandatory evacuation order for waterfront properties in Owhiro Bay, Island Bay, Houghton Bay and Breaker Bay from 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
"We recommend that residents of waterfront properties in these suburbs stay somewhere else tonight," Wellington City Council said in a statement.
MetService said a southerly weather system would drive combined waves of 9.5 to 10.5 meters through the Cook Strait from late Monday to Wednesday morning, with peak conditions expected late Tuesday morning.
Authorities also advised the public to avoid beaches and coastal roads due to the risk of flooding, debris and strong wave surges.
Officials said the long-period swells could cause significant coastal damage, exceeding impacts seen during a 2020 storm with 5.5-meter waves that triggered widespread evacuations. ■