New Zealand has been hit with an unprecedented polar blast, covering large parts of the country in thick snow and causing major travel disruption.
Flights have been cancelled, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in the chilly conditions. The cold snap is also expected to last for a few more days as snow continues to fall.
Thousands of passengers have been left to their own devices at Queenstown Airport and a number of flights have been cancelled in and out of Christchurch Airport.
Travellers are being advised to check with their airline before travelling. In total, 25 flights have been cancelled so far by airlines such as Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Pacific.
Domestic flights have been hardest hit. One flight from Palmerston North to Wellington was also struck by lightning. Nobody on board was injured however and the plane eventually managed to land safely.
Crews and airport staff worked round the clock to keep Christchurch Airport operating, clearing 25mm of new snow from the airport runways and re-opening the terminal.
Chief Executive, Jim Boult, said: “the temporary closure was one of the few in living memory for the airport which, with a couple of recent and notable ground moving exceptions, have consistently remained open to service the needs of the travelling public.”
Thousands of homes are without power across the country. Schools and courts have been shut down and some hospitals are running with restricted services only.
