RNZ 7am Bulletin - Top 5 items via NewsRoom Plus
1. Much of the West Coast is cut off by floods.
Hokitika has fared the worst when the town’s drains failed
to cope with the overnight rain. 400mm of rain has soaked
the West Coast in the last 24 hours.
2. Meanwhile, the Grey River has already risen by 5.5m over the last several hours and is expected to peak at 10am this morning. Also, about 1800 customers remain without electricity in the inland town of Fairlie, where heavy snow knocked out power lines yesterday.
3. And, the MetService is warning the Kapiti Coast will be the next to be hit by heavy rain as the storm keeps moving up the country. Up to 250 mm of rain is expected in the next 24 hours in the Tararua Ranges, with about 100mm falling on the Kapiti Coast.
4. An intense manhunt that was launched after a deadly shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina has ended with the suspected gunman in custody.
5. More evidence is emerging of slabs of ancient swamp kauri being sold overseas. The wood, at least 50,000 years old, is only allowed to be exported if it is stumps or a finished product.
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