The mayor of Auckland is under fire over deadly floods

Climate change is causing episodes of heavy rain to become more frequent and intense in New Zealand, although the impact varies by region. Climate Secretary James Shaw on Saturday pointed to the link to climate change when he tweeted his support for those affected by the floods.

Major insurers operating in New Zealand, including Insurance Australia Group and Suncorp Group, have received over 9,000 claims combined to date.

As of Monday morning, Suncorp’s Vero and AA insurance brands have received about 3,000 claims, while IAG’s AMI, State and New Zealand insurance brands have filed over 5,000 claims.

Tower Ltd said on Sunday it had received over 1,000 applications since Friday and said the losses were “significant”.

“This is a very significant event that will lead to many claims,” ​​according to the Insurance Council of New Zealand.

Insurance companies expect the number of claims to continue to rise in the coming days as the situation evolves and customers identify claims.

Auckland Zoo said alligators, bearded dragons and skinks needed to be moved to higher ground before the water rose to chest height when the venue was badly hit. Meanwhile, at the Auckland Art Gallery, hundreds of artworks had to be relocated after the basement flooded on Friday.

Gallery director Kirsten Lacy said groundwater rose through the walls and floor of the basement after hours of rain. A team of 30 worked Saturday and Sunday to relocate 300 artworks and assess any water damage, she said.

Stuff.co.nz, Reuters