As the death toll from ex-tropical storm Gabrielle increases to seven, a disaster team will be dispatched to New Zealand to aid in the response and recovery efforts.

The north island of New Zealand, which has been severely flooded, will receive assistance from a team of 25 officers from Australia.

The storm isolated villages destroyed bridges and displaced or rendered homeless thousands of people.

News agency The death toll had risen to seven, according to Reuters, when a second volunteer firefighter caught in a landslide near Auckland died in hospital Thursday evening.

For the following twenty-four hours, the impact assessment team from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services will be deployed to regional locations to assist New Zealand firefighters.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia was prepared to assist if more support was required.

Senator Wong stated, "Our close relationship with New Zealand has meant we have been able to mobilise assistance quickly in response to this disaster,"

In recent years, according to Disaster Management Minister Murray Watt, Australian teams have become experts at responding to floods so that the disaster crew will be of great assistance.

"In response to the Black Summer bushfires, the New Zealand government acted swiftly to give aid on the ground. Also, their crews assisted our State Emergency Services during the recent floods, "Senator Watt remarked.

"Our neighbours have been there for us, and we are more than willing to return the favour in their hour of need."

More than seventy emergency personnel were recently dispatched to Turkey to assist in earthquake relief efforts.