Eleven are the dead from the cyclone Gabriel that hit the previous Sunday New Zealandaccording to a new tally released today by authorities, raising fears that the death toll is expected to rise as the fate of thousands of people remains unaccounted for a week after the extreme weather event hit the North Island.

Police have announced that two more people have been found dead in the Hawke’s Bay area, bringing the provisional death toll to eleven.

More than 5,600 people have not been in contact with relatives or friends since the cyclone hit the country. Police believe most of them simply do not have access to communications networks, but fears are being raised for the fate of around 10 missing people.

Almost 62,000 households remain without electricity. Of these approximately 40,000 are in Hawke’s Bay which has a population of 170,000.

Repair work is underway for the damage caused by the cyclone. Helicopters dropped supplies on Saturday to isolated communities in the North Island.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins assured that the operation to locate missing persons and to relieve those affected continues day and night. At the same time, the police have mobilized to prevent looting. “We are not going to tolerate such phenomena,” assured Inspector Janet Park.