New Zealand troops made their first major effort of the First World War during the Allied invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula in April 1915. The Allies hoped to seize control of the strategic Dardanelles Strait and open the way for their naval forces to attack Constantinople (Istanbul), the capital of Turkey and the Ottoman Empire.

Allied forces landed on Gallipoli on 25 April. British (and later French) forces made the main landing at Cape Helles on the southern tip of Gallipoli, while the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed midway up the peninsula. Sent 2 km north of their intended landing place, they encountered determined Ottoman forces in the rugged country above the beach (soon known as Anzac Cove). Unable to make any significant advance, the Anzacs spent the next few days desperately holding onto their small beachhead

Links

• UN Stop Disasters Game
• Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
• FEMA - Winter Storms
• National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
• MetService cyclone articles
• How Hurricanes Work

Storm

as it lies in the 'Roaring Forties', where mild-temperature air from the north meets cooler air from the south.

WHAT IS A STORM?

A storm is a disturbance of the atmosphere that can cause strong winds, rain, thunder, lightning, heavy snow and rough seas. A strong wind warning is issued by the MetService when winds of more than 87kph are expected over land.

Hazards from storms include falling trees and poles, torn-off roofs, fast-flowing currents in streams and rivers, flying objects, land slips and flooding. Coastal areas can suffer from storm surges, which are extra-high tides caused by the high winds pushing the sea forward.