There's been Boxing Day chaos at Auckland Airport with the international terminal evacuated after a thunderstorm apparently set off the sprinkler system inside.
Monster downpours caused flooding in parts of Auckland and Northland on Monday afternoon and a severe weather warning for the top half of the North Island is still in place.
Police confirmed Auckland Airport's international terminal had been evacuated after a "weather-related event".
Auckland Airport said passengers were evacuated from the terminal for 40 minutes and allowed to re-enter at 5:10pm.
But the evacuation resulted in several flight cancellations in and out of Auckland. Air New Zealand said three of its international routes from the City of Sails to Brisbane, Sydney and Tonga were held up.
Other routes affected by delays were incoming flights arriving in Auckland from New York, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Passengers were loaded onto buses during the terminal evacuation because of the rain, Auckland Airport said.
