New Zealand declares emergency in Auckland after torrential flooding

A state of emergency has been declared in New Zealand's biggest city, after torrential rains caused widespread flooding and evacuations.

The deluge has triggered the closure of Auckland's airports and forced event organisers to cancel a scheduled concert by Elton John.

Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown declared a state of emergency due to the extent of the "damage, displacement and disruption" caused by the weather.

The New Zealand Herald reported one person had died due to the floods.

Auckland Emergency Management said in a post on Twitter that northern, northwestern and western parts of the city were affected by significant flooding, with conditions expected to worsen.

The agency advised residents in flood-prone areas to prepare to evacuate and opened an evacuation centre in West Auckland.

Videos on social media showed firefighters, police and defence force staff rescuing stranded people from flooded homes using ropes and rescue boats.

Auckland Airport closed both domestic and international airport due to widespread flooding.

Images on social media showed the check-in area in the International Terminal knee-deep in flood water.

Elton John's concert in the city, which was expected to by attended by about 40,000 people, was cancelled.

"Given the weather, tonight's show has been cancelled. Our operations team is working to redirect special event buses to help get people back home," Auckland Transport said in a statement on Twitter.

Major roads were also blocked by the floods, causing long traffic queues on highways.

Police said they were working with Fire and Emergency New Zealand to respond to calls and asked people to stay off the roads if possible.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know