Fire burns 140 hectares of NZ´s North Island forest

New Zealand firefighters are still battling a forest fire in the north of Napier in New Zealand's North Island.

The fire has spread about 140 hectares of forest.

The large fire broke out on Monday fueled by "cutover from remnants of forestry work" and spread fast through strong winds, said a local government spokesperson, adding the fire was still spreading.

According to fire and emergency authorities, about 65 firefighters, 11 trucks, an aeroplane, and six helicopters were at the scene.

Dry and heavy winds have created bad conditions for battling the fire, according to MetService.

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Death toll of Indonesian capital floods rises to 66

The number of people died from floods and landslides in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and its peripheral areas since the New Year's Eve rose to 66, the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported on Monday.

Some of the evacuated people were also reported to have started returning their homes from shelters as the flood continues to recede.

"Although floods have receded in some areas, people are still advised to be vigilant," BNPB's spokesman Agus Wibowo said in a statement.

Extreme weather with heavy rains is expected to continue to hit Jakarta and nearby towns until next week, according to the forecast from the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Being located in the equatorial belt, Indonesia with its tropical climate often suffers from flash floods and landslides, mainly caused by monsoons from November to March.