Wild weather cuts power to Northland homes

Motorists driving through floodwaters on a one way bridge on Wiroa Rd, near Kerikeri, after thunderstorms across the region yesterday. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The wild weather has cut power to hundreds of Northland homes.

Northpower spokesman Steve Macmillan said there were 174 properties without power in the Mangakahia Rd area about 2.50pm and arborists removed bamboo from 33kV and 11kV lines at Poroti. Power was fully restored by 4pm.

The outage happened at 1.43pm leaving 1300 people without power for 15 minutes.

The outage covered Gumtown Rd, Houto, Kara, Kerehunga Rd, Knight Rd, Kokopu, McKinley Rd, Pakotai, Parakao, Pipiwai, Poroti, Purua, Ruatangata West, Titoki, Twin Bridges, Wairua, Wharekohe, Whatitiri.

Once that outage was fixed, fallen lines cut off power to 32 homes on Simons Rd in Mangakahia sometime after 3pm yesterday.

Power was expected to have been fully restored by 8pm.

A member of the public reported a flash on a pole alerting Northpower to a burning cross-arm which was the cause of an outage at Mangawhai at 3.35pm, leaving 1362 people without power for seven minutes. Everything was restored by 5.31pm.

At Taine Rd, Maungaturoto, a tree brought lines down just after 6pm and repairs were completed by 10.15pm with 182 premises back on line.

Two crews working overnight on Wednesday worked on an intermittent fault at Farr Rd, Oneriri. Four homes were without power overnight due to a willow tree in the lines.

People were encouraged to continue reporting potential causes of outages on 0800 10 40 40.

Whangarei police Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe said there were nine crashes reported between 8am and 4pm yesterday. Fortunately, none were serious and most were single vehicles slipping of the wet roads.

During a thunderstorm downpour, officers patrolling the highway near Hukerenui at 11.35am yesterday reported visibility was down to about 25m. However, drivers were failing to adjust to the dangerous conditions.

"Cars are not slowing down and they should be taking extreme care in these kinds of conditions," Mr Metcalfe said.