New Zealand braces before cyclone hits

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Auckland residents hunkered down today as they braced for a deluge from Cyclone Gabrielle, two weeks after a record-breaking storm swamped New Zealand’s largest city and killed four people.

Much of Auckland ground to a halt as train services were canceled, libraries and most schools were closed, and authorities asked people to make only essential trips.

Air New Zealand canceled all domestic flights to and from Auckland through midday Tuesday, as well as many international flights. Some international routes would continue operating, although might need to be diverted from Auckland. The carrier also canceled domestic flights to and from the cities of Hamilton, Tauranga and Taupo.

In all, Air New Zealand canceled more than 500 flights. More than 10,000 international customers had been affected, the airline said, with thousands still to be rebooked.

The cyclone, which was lying just to the northeast of the country and moving south, dumped more than 9 inches of rain in areas north of Auckland, cutting power to about 46,000 households and forcing many roads to close.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in Northland, Auckland and some other regions.

Gabrielle was expected to pass Auckland overnight tonight. Its windspeed was downgraded as gusts abated to about 80 miles per hour.

Weather forecaster MetService said there was a very high likelihood of “extreme, impactful, and unprecedented weather” over many regions, with heavy rain, strong winds and large waves.