Video - New Zealand Braces For Monster Cyclone Gita

Flights to most of the island were grounded just as Cyclone Gita was about to hit Christchurch, New Zealand. The worst part of the storm is expected to hit the west coast of the country.

Cyclone Gita, which has caused havoc in the Pacific all week, will have the New Zealand capital of Wellington bearing the brunt of the brutal tropical storm. The surge is expected to bring with it huge sea waves over 6metres tall, which is bound to flood the coastline.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Flights to New Zealand Capital Grounded as Former Cyclone Gita Hits <a href="https://t.co/zEBtoRJTja">https://t.co/zEBtoRJTja</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmegVkV2rz">pic.twitter.com/jmegVkV2rz</a></p>&mdash; The Voice of America (@VOANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/VOANews/status/965781835362967552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Widespread travel disruption is predicted for tomorrow on the west coast of New Zealand as the tropical cyclone makes its way through the island.

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WeatherWatch predicts that after landfall, which will occur when the center of the low crosses land, Cyclone Gita is bound to split into two centers: one on the western side of the South Island, the other to the east of the South Island.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Around 23,000 homes are without power in the Taranaki region <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CycloneGita?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CycloneGita</a><a href="https://t.co/1ZYcMTzPXn">https://t.co/1ZYcMTzPXn</a></p>&mdash; RNZ (@radionz) <a href="https://twitter.com/radionz/status/965848239495770112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The Christchurch City, Taranaki, Nelson Tasman, Buller, Grey and Selwyn councils have all declared states of emergency as the storm is expected to bring with it heavy rain, high winds and sea surges to central New Zealand.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cyclone Gita hit the Pacific island nations of Fiji and Tonga last week.<a href="https://t.co/tjuLCS6LUY">https://t.co/tjuLCS6LUY</a></p>&mdash; The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianExpress/status/965804497367977984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Source:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/350784/live-cyclone-gita-makes-landfall-in-new-zealand