Bomb Threats Cause Disruption In New Zealand Schools

At least a dozen schools across New Zealand have received bomb threats, causing widespread disruption.

Many of the schools affected located in the regions of Ashburton, Dunstan, Geraldine, Greymouth, Kaikoura, Levin and others were either locked down or evacuated as a result.

The disruption on Thursday came 24 hours after earlier threats were made to four New Zealand schools in Gisborne, Thames and Waikato, on the country’s North Island.

Cherie Taylor-Patel, president of New Zealand’s Principals’ Federation said; “The ministry has said that their understanding is that this was actually a cyberbot coming in from overseas.

“Today’s incidents were really unexpected, unprovoked and really distressing for those communities involved.

“It’s not something that anyone is prepared for and it’s something that no one wants to have happen."

Aljazeera added that in a similar incident in 2016, more than 30 schools across the country received calls that played a recorded message threatening live bombs on school grounds.