Generators have been flying out the door during and after Cyclone Gabrielle at Donovans Trade Supplies. Photo / Michael Cunningham.
Generators have been flying out the door during and after Cyclone Gabrielle at Donovans Trade Supplies. Photo / Michael Cunningham.
More than 1000 Northland homes are still without power across the region as demand for generators skyrockets after Cyclone Gabrielle.
The wrath of the cyclone significantly damaged power poles and lines across the region over five days.
Kawakawa residents James Cross and his mother Isey Cross have been without power in their home since Saturday, February 11.
Cross said he and his elderly mother lived off soup, cold water and bread with pickles for several days as they tried to arrange help for themselves.
The pair were originally told Civil Defence and Far North District Council would arrange a motel for them, but by Wednesday when Cross rang back, he was told they would have to stay at a community centre instead.
“I said ‘no, that’s not appropriate for my mum at her age, you can’t expect a 100-year-old woman to sleep on the floor on a camp stretcher’, Cross said.
After Cross went to the media on Wednesday, February 15, he received a visit from a power board member who said it could be 10 days before power was reconnected.
Cross and his mother are now staying in a motel in Paihia organised by Civil Defence, which has surprisingly turned out to be a small silver lining.
“It’s warmer here and so much easier for me to look after mum because I just had to use a torch for days [to help her walk],”
“If it was for me, I wouldn’t bother but because it’s my mum, I will move heaven and earth to make sure she’s okay.”
Cross is a full-time caregiver for his mother and it’s very rare he gets a break, so staying in a motel in Paihia with better facilities for his mum is a bit like a holiday.
“It’s a real blessing in disguise,” Cross said.
James and Isey Cross at their home near Kawakawa in a scene from the movie James & Isey. Photo / Supplied
The cyclone has also seen Northlanders without power rushing to stores and buying generators to power their homes.
Donovans Trade Supplies manager Scotty Brown said his business sold 200 generators in four days, which was more than they would usually sell in a year.
“One person looked after only generators, and it was mental, really mental. And the person was me,” Brown said.
On Monday last week when the storm was in its early stages, Brown sent a truck and a driver down to a supply branch in Auckland to pick up 60 generators,
“We unloaded them out the back and by lunchtime Tuesday, they were all gone,” Brown said.
On Wednesday, the team went to Auckland again to pick up 120 generators and “within a day and a bit” they had sold them in Whangārei.
Christchurch company All Trade also flew 50 to 60 generators up to Donovans Trade for Northlanders to purchase when the other supplier ran out.
Brown said customers were thankful to receive generators and get power to their homes back, and they have only 20 generators left in stock.
He said unlike Donovans Trade, he’d heard some places had been increasing the prices of generators due to the demand.
“We didn’t want to take advantage of the situation.”
Mitre 10 Whangārei owner Peter Rogers-Jenkins said the business has just received another relatively small shipment of generators, a week after the storm.
“Last week, we had thousands of people wanting to get them ... I understand there’s almost none left in the country,” Rogers-Jenkins said.
The supply chain of generators was also being heavily impacted by the several roading issues that truck drivers are facing across the North Island.
“We could have never anticipated the demand,” Rogers-Jenkins said.
Far North District Council deputy mayor Kelly Stratford said it has been a huge challenge for power companies but the number of properties without power was reducing hour by hour.
“Civil Defence has also assisted in getting 12 more linesmen up from Christchurch to assist Top Energy with their issues, which has helped to get things moving.”
Stratford said prior to the cyclone arriving, Top Energy rostered on additional crews such as line mechanics and vegetation removal teams.
“They reallocated resources around the North – checking equipment, ensuring vehicles [are] refuelled, VHS if cell sites impacted, moving equipment around the network to ensure [it is] in place for areas forecast to be impacted,” Stratford said.
Stratford said the demand for generators highlighted the importance of business continuity plans and emergency preparation at home.
“Our welfare team in Civil Defence is providing support on a case-by-case basis to homes that are still without power.”
Top Energy said as of yesterday morning, 468 customers were without power in Opononi, Towai, Rangiahua, Kohukohu and Panguru.
“This is steady progress but we are very aware of how difficult it is to be without power for over a week. However, it could still take several days for full restoration,” a spokeswoman for Top Energy said.
Those covered by Top Energy should call 0800 867 363 so that the fault can be logged if they have not done so already.
“We are very appreciative of the support from the community. We know this situation is taking its toll and the company is working to get power on as soon as possible.”
Northpower said 850 of its customers were without power due to issues on the high voltage lines yesterday morning, and an estimated 1300 further customers were out due to localised low voltage issues.
“We’ve been able to make good progress this week with over 200 people working all over the network.
Additional crews from Counties Energy and Waipa Networks have also begun assisting Northpower this week.
“As we start to get through the jobs that restore power to large numbers of customers and critical infrastructure we can now turn our attention to the work that affects pockets of, or individual customers.”
Over the weekend the Northpower teams worked in areas with extensive damage including Otaika Valley, Araphoe, Opouteke Rd, Whakapirau, Pataua North and Oneriri.
