Venkat Raman
Auckland, January 27, 2023 (8 pm)
Aucklanders are reeling under worsening weather conditions with traffic jams, road crashes and the cancelled Concert of Sir Elton John.
News at hand suggests that thunderstorms, with lightning and heavy downpour, have caused havoc in West Auckland with residents in some areas told to be in readiness to evacuate.
Electricity supply has been affected in some parts of the City, with the Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) saying that it is yet to assess the action to be taken overnight.
AEM asked people in distress or in dire need to call 111 for help and suggested neighbourhood support and exchange of Information.
Residents who had planned for the long weekend (Monday is Auckland Anniversary Holiday for many parts of Northern Island including Waikato) say that they have gone haywire.
Auckland City District Police said that there were a few incidents on the Northwestern and Southwestern Motorways, adding to the traffic chaos.
Elton John Concert off
A Radio New Zealand report said that the Elton John Concert, scheduled to be held tonight at Mt Smart Stadium has been cancelled, disappointing at least 40,000 people who were expected to attend the already postponed event.
The Auckland programmes were a part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.
Sir Elton had to abandon his performance at Mt Smart Stadium on February 16, 2020, when he lost his voice while rendering ‘Daniel,’ and was escorted out of the stage. He was diagnosed with Walking Pneumonia. The Concert was rescheduled to January 16, 2021, but postponed to January 26 and 27, 2023 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As we were closing this report, we learnt that the Northbound Diversion at State Highway 1 and State Highway 12 Is closed due to flooding. Vehicles travelling North are being diverted at Kaiwaka-
The northbound diversion at State Highway 1 and State Highway 12 is now closed due to flooding.
Vehicles travelling north are now being diverted at Kaiwaka at the Kaiwaka-Mangawhai turnoff.
This diversion route Is not suitable for heavy motor vehicles.
