Flood crisis: All Auckland schools to close for week

Auckland principals say the Education Ministry has ordered a week-long shut down of all of the flood-hit region's education organisations.

They say all Auckland schools, early childhood services and tertiary institutes must remain shut for physical instruction until February 7.

Principals were told the instruction was issued after the National Emergency Management Agency asked the ministry to help minimise traffic on Auckland roads while vital infrastructure is repaired.

The order covers the area from Wellsford in the north to Pukekohe in the South.

Auckland is in its fourth day under a state of emergency due to the flooding and schools were scheduled to reopen between tomorrow and 7 February.

Auckland principals earlier said about 20 Auckland schools were badly hit by flooding on Friday and the weekend.

Other schools have slips or grounds contaminated by floodwater, they said.