WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand’s weather agency issued rare red wind warnings and officials declared a state of emergency in the Canterbury region as a powerful spring storm brought destructive gales and heavy rain to the South Island and lower North Island on Thursday.

Flights in and out of Wellington, the capital, and Christchurch, in Canterbury, have all been cancelled, some train services have been suspended and several government facilities such as libraries have been closed. New Zealand Transport Agency also shut several roads and there have been significant power outages.

Media showed images of toppled silos, blown down fences, a truck overturned and surface flooding in affected areas.

MetService said severe north-westerlies were expected to produce damaging gusts up to 150 kp

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