NZ city left battered by huge storm

A STATE of emergency was yesterday declared in the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island amid a severe storm.

Horrific weather conditions have seen hundreds of homes evacuated and soldiers called in to help emergency services.

The city of Christchurch declared an emergency after the Heathcote River burst its banks and flooded some districts.

It’s the fourth area to do so after severe weather hit the South Island in the space of 24 hours, causing widespread flooding.

Around 1,500 people were told to leave their homes as water levels rose overnight.