Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
A special Lotto draw has raised $11.77 million for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. A further $830,000 has been raised through direct charitable donations.
The Lotto funding was raised with half the value of all sales across Lotto, Powerball and Strike going to support for those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.
The funding will be distributed to affected people and communities by the Lotto Grants Board.
The special $15.5m "Must-be-won" jackpot - with $15m from Powerball first division and $500,000 from Lotto first division, was won on Saturday by a Powerball player in Canterbury, who bought a ticket through MyLotto.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the special draw, which was modelled on the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, late last month.
The move also had the support of the National Party.
Lotto said donating half the value of sales meant it was passing on all the profit - as it does every draw - as well as requiring drawing extra from reserves to pay bills, taxes, levies and the winners.
In a statement, Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds thanked New Zealanders for their generosity.
"This is a fantastic effort and I want to thank everyone across the country who contributed to the draw," she said. "Every little bit helps and it has been humbling to see people continue to make donations and offers of assistance."
She said $830,000 had also been raised separately through direct donations to the Cyclone Appeal Fund for communities.
Donations of $3 can be made to the fund by texting GIVE to 2454, or deposits to 03 0251 0040146 00 via internet banking or over the counter at trading banks.
A range of other groups and charities are also taking donations for the response.