New Zealand warned on Monday the final cost of the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle, which has left at least 11 people dead, could rise above $8 billion as authorities announced emergency funding to help in the recovery efforts.
The cyclone hit the North Island's northernmost region on Feb. 12 and tracked down the east coast, inflicting widespread destruction. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called Gabrielle New Zealand's biggest natural disaster this century.
