New Zealand was hit by a devastating flood on January 27, 2023, as a result of record rainfall in Auckland, the country's largest city. The heavy downpour claimed the lives of two individuals and left two others missing, as emergency services faced a huge number of callouts. The wild weather also sparked landslides and forced the closure of the country's largest airport.

According to police, the bodies of two men were found in flood waters in separate incidents in a northern suburb. The flooding also swept a man away in a community south of Auckland, and another person is unaccounted for after a landslide brought down a house in the city centre.

The new prime minister, Chris Hipkins, expressed his condolences in a statement: “My thoughts are with everyone in Auckland as they wake up this morning to survey the damage and as they face an uncertain day ahead.”

The city broke all its previous rainfall records, with 249mm of rain falling in 24 hours compared to the previous record of 161mm. This makes it the wettest day and month on record for Auckland. Despite the heavy rain subsiding, the nation's weather forecaster has warned that another period of downpours is possible on Sunday.

The footage captured by @PrzemekRM in the Auckland CBD showed the extent of the destruction caused by the flood, with streets and homes submerged in water. The disaster has caused mass disruption in the city, with residents facing an uncertain future as they try to rebuild their lives. The government has urged citizens to stay safe and follow the advice of emergency services as they work to respond to the crisis.