New Zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Five people died Saturday in New Zealand after the small charter boat they were aboard capsized, authorities say, in what may have been a collision with a whale. Another six people aboard the boat were rescued.

Police said the 8.5-meter (28-foot) boat overturned near the South Island town of Kaikōura. Police said they were continuing to investigate the cause of the accident.

Kaikōura Police Sergeant Matt Boyce described it as a devastating and unprecedented event.

Aug 29 (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck South of Kermadec Islands on Tuesday, German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

The quake was at a depth of 84 km, GFZ said.

WELLINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 400 homes in Nelson of New Zealand's South Island have been evacuated after the region has been hit hard by continued heavy rain, flooding and landslides.

Local states of emergency remained in place for the West Coast and Nelson-Tasman regions due to the current severe weather, according to the National Emergency Management Agency on Friday.

The agency said in a statement that severe weather has caused flooding that requires evacuations, with further impacts possible.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Heavy rain continued to pelt New Zealand on Thursday, causing further disruptions and road closures from a storm that has already forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes.

Residents in the northern part of North Island found themselves isolated after landslides, fallen trees and floodwaters blocked highway access. The stormy weather also forced some schools to close, airlines to cancel flights and business to shutter.

WELLINGTON, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand recorded 4,489 new community cases of COVID-19 and 16 more deaths from the pandemic, the country’s Ministry of Health said, today.

New Zealand reported 1,686,020 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,794 confirmed deaths, since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020, the health ministry said.

Currently, 496 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals in the country, including 13 in intensive care units or high dependency units, showed official data.

WELLINGTON, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Food prices were 7.4 percent higher in July, 2022, compared with July, 2021, New Zealand’s statistics department, Stats NZ, said today.

In July 2022, the annual increase was due to rises across all the broad food categories measured, Stats NZ said.

Compared with July, 2021, grocery food prices increased by 7.5 percent; fruit and vegetable prices increased by 10 percent; and meat, poultry, and fish prices increased by 7.7 percent, statistics show.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The U.S. deputy secretary of state said Monday the prime minister of the Solomon Islands “missed an important opportunity” by failing to attend a memorial service to mark the anniversary of a key World War II battle, amid concerns the South Pacific island nation is building closer ties with China.

Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy were among dignitaries who attended a dawn service near the capital Honiara on Sunday to commemorate the Battle of Guadalcanal.

WELLINGTON, Jul 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported 7,746 new community cases of COVID-19 today, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 community cases in New Zealand now sits at 8,703. The Ministry also reported 759 current hospitalisations, including 19 cases in ICU or HDU, and 22 deaths of COVID-19 today.

In addition, there were 353 new cases that have recently travelled overseas, according to the ministry.

WELLINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - New Zealanders are dying from COVID-19 at record rates as the country battles a new wave of the Omicron strain that is particularly affecting the older population.

Deaths from the virus reached 151 in the seven days to July 16, compared with 115 in the worst week of the previous wave, in March, according to Health Ministry data. In the latest 24 hours, 26 people died from COVID, all aged over 60, the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

WELLINGTON, Jul 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand recorded 10,320 new community cases of COVID-19 and 34 more deaths from the pandemic, the Ministry of Health said, today.

It said, 396 COVID-19 cases have recently travelled overseas.

Currently, 744 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, including 17 in intensive care units or high dependency units.

New Zealand has reported 1,519,314 confirmed cases of COVID-19, since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020.