Northland picks up after storm

Tree down in Pukenui. PICTURE/PETRINA HODGSON

Trees down, roofs torn off and thousands without power as gales batter North Island.

There has been "widespread damage" across Northland overnight, with flooding, power outages, and wind damage caused by a storm which is still raging.

Thousands are without power, while a number of roads have been closed due to flooding, trees have been downed and properties damaged by the gale force winds which reached up to 170km/h at Cape Reinga yesterday.

The Fire Service were dealing with up to 20 calls per hour at the height of the storm, Far North fire commander Allan Kerrisk told 3News.

Reader Tony Over sent in this video:

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"There's a lot of damage to property, a lot of roofs etc missing, particularly based around Kaitaia and south Hokianga area," he said.

"There's a lot of flooding and road closures, which are now causing issues and concerns for us.

Other readers sent in their photos of damage:

Image 1 of 26: Kaitaia resident Helen Cossey took this shot saying, "Thankfully this 40+ year old clothesline was the only casualty at my place in the storm yesterday"

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And we think as light comes and people move about we're expecting more incidents to be reported and our workload to increase.

"While Northlanders are very resilient there's widespread damage and it will take some time to recover."

Braced for more flooding

Parts of Northland are bracing for flooding to worsen as high tide approaches.

Moerewa and Kawakawa are experiencing flooding after sustained heavy rain overnight and today.

State Highway 1 is flooded at the bridge crossing Otiria Stream at the base of Turntable Hill.

A Kaikohe resident who travels to Moerewa every day for work said he hadn't seen the bridge flooded like this in four years.

"Not since they did the dredging beneath the bridge," he said.

A quick-thinking tow-truck driver was charging motorists $20 to be towed across the bridge and save the risk of flood damage to vehicles.

Most vehicles have been managing to cross the bridge safely.

The river has burst its banks at Kawakawa and the flood level is creeping on to SH1 at Kawakawa.

Paddocks and farm-land have flooded across most of the Mid-North.

High tide is at 5pm tonight.