New Zealand minister declares adverse event as flood hitting South Island

Staff members rescue the hikers trapped by flood at a camping site near the Routeburn Track in New Zealand's South Island, Feb. 3, 2020. Several towns in Southland and Otago regions in New Zealand's South Island are being threatened by record level of flood water, for which the New Zealand government has declared an adverse event on Wednesday. A state of emergency was declared earlier on Tuesday afternoon and remains on Wednesday for the Southland town of Gore. (Photo by Grace Houpapa/Xinhua)