Police have found the body of a high school student in a cave following a school group getting into trouble after floodwaters hit.
As part of an outdoor education class, authorities said, a group of 15 students and two adults had set out on a trip to the Abbey Caves in Whang rei. The others came out safely.
The death raises questions about why school officials chose to go ahead with the trip even after forecasters had warned that heavy rain was imminent.
The website of the district council warns people to check weather forecasts, as caves can be prone to flash flooding. The site says the cave system features dramatic limestone outcrops, sinkholes and three significant caves.
We acknowledge this event has been very distressing for the school and the wider community, and that there are a number of questions the public will have, said Police Superintendent Tony Hill in a statement. The aim of police is to support those impacted, he said. The body was not recovered until late Tuesday, a hospital spokesman said.
Whang rei Boys High School Principal Karen Gilbert-Smith wrote on Facebook that the event was hugely upsetting for all involved.
In time we will seek to understand how this situation happened, But for now I ask that we stay united as a WBHS community and provide support where required, the principal said.
Further south, the heavy rain and floods on Tuesday led Auckland city officials to declare a state of emergency. The declaration remained in place yesterday as the weather eased.
Fire and emergency crews responding to more than 200 calls on Tuesday, most of them in Auckland. Many were responsible for floodwaters entering buildings, but they had also responded to landslides, falling trees and trapped cars. Some trains and bus services were halted, and authorities urged people to avoid unnecessary travel.
This year, severe weather has plagued the North Island. Four people were killed when floodwaters hit Auckland in January. Cyclone Gabrielle killed 11 people in February.
Chris Hipkins, Prime Minister of South Africa, said it was a difficult time for the region.
He said that he remained uninformed about what had happened to the student.
I do want to express my deep concern there and my absolute support for the school community, he said.