Big clean up under way in Rotorua after wild weather

6.30pm:

Lots of clearing took place out on the roads today but there will still be more to do over the weekend, according to the Rotorua Lakes Council.

Latest roads update:

Tiwha Road - now open, tidy up work still to do
Hamurana Road - both lanes open. Slip has been moved to road shoulder with more clearing to take place
Te Kopia Road - slip, down to one lane but signs are up
Brett Road - slip, down to one lane but signs are up
Ngongotaha cycleway - tree fall over the track. Passable with care
Endean Road - slip, down to one lane but signs are up

Meanwhile some people in the district are facing another night in the dark, with power still out to at least 35 customers.

"Despite our best efforts we couldn't get everyone," Unison relationship manager Danny Gough said.

"From what we were starting at this morning, it's been a Herculaen effort, I'm really proud of the guys."

Mr Gough said power would definitely be back on to all properties tomorrow.

3.47pm:

Hundreds are still without power in the Rotorua district - and some could be facing another night in the dark.

Unison relationship manager Danny Gough said about 240 customers were still without power.

"We are making good progress but it's challenging because the damage is widespread, it's a mess, we have to wait for branches to be cleared."

Mr Gough said they hoped to have all power back on by the end of the day but there was still a chance some would have another night without it.

EARLIER:

Contractors are continuing to assess the damage around the district after last night's wild weather.

These are the issues have been reported to the Rotorua Lakes Council since midnight:

Endean Rd - slip covering one lane - about 800m from the Paradise Valley Rd turnoff

Kuirau Park - damage to the roof of the foot pools

State Highway 5 - sizable pothole in the road between Tarukenga Rd and the rest stop area

Sulphur Point - tree down over walkway

Galvin Rd - tree down over footpath in

Hamurana Rd - Slip covering one lane near Te Wearenga Rd (clearing in progress)

State Highway 30 - tree down blocking north bound lane

State Highway 33 - Pothole at corner of Cookson Rd

1146 Rangiuru St - tree fallen from sidewalk onto carparks

Hossack Rd - tree down across road 800m from 314 Hossack Road (road open, tidy up work still required.)

Clayton Rd and Steeles Lanes - surface flooding (complete)

Alfred Rd - surface flooding

Tiwha St is still closed at this stage due to fallen trees and power lines.

Roof of the foot pools in Kuirau Park. Photo/Stephen Parker

Drivers are reminded to take care while driving with more slips and tree falls likely to occur.

Two large trees also came down at the Rotorua TOP 10 Holiday Park overnight.

The New Zealand Transport said State Highway 2 near Matata now has one lane open but people should continue to expect delays after a large tree fell across the highway on the Matata Straight near Murphy's Holiday Camp.

An alternative route is via State Highway 33, State Highway 30 and State Highway 34 but that will add approximately 45 minutes to a journey.

Tree down on State Highway 2 near Matata. Photo/Supplied

Power is back on in Waiohau and Ta Mahoe in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

EARLIER:

Large areas of the Rotorua district are without power this morning after heavy rain and wind caused "extensive damage" last night.

Last night's severe weather tore off a roof, flooded a house and caused slips and potholes on major roads.

Unison relationship manager Danny Gough said some people should be prepared for "significant" periods without power today as crews worked to remove trees and repair lines.

Gough said 385 customers were still without power.

"The guys will be working throughout the day to get trees removed from lines. It is a challenging situation."

Rotoma, where 228 customers have no power, is worst affected.

Tree down over walkway in Sulphur Point. Photo/Stephen Parker

"It will be progressive. We might be able to get some on quicker than others this morning. But some customers should be prepared for significant periods without power today," Gough said.

Smaller pockets of rural areas still without power included Reporoa, Broadlands, Tutukau, Ohaaki, Rerewhakaaitu, and Te Waerenga Rd.

Gough said crews were out for much of last night trying to restore power.

"The guys did all they could but we needed to get them back in, get them rested and fed so they could hit the ground running in daylight."

Slip on Endean Rd - about 800m from the Paradise Valley Rd turnoff. Photo/Stephen Parker

Gough said people should stay well clear of any power lines and contact Unison to report any lines down or faults.

Click here for power outages in the district.

A house was also flooded in Taupo when rain poured through the roof last night.

In Rotorua severe gales took down trees and road signs and sent trampolines flying as the a city was battered by heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 120km/h. Some roads flooded. .

A roof was lifted from a telephone exchange building in Murupara.

Rotorua Fire Brigade senior station officer Colin Rolfe said they had eight calls from 5.30pm, mostly for trees down in the city and surrounding rural areas.

Kelly in Hillcrest said a neighbour's tree had come down and broken her fence.

"Got the firewood in came inside heard this mighty crash and the tree next door had come down and taken out our fence. Now we have a big tree lying on our back lawn."

Trees were down in Tiwha St, Koutu, this morning. Photo / Stephen Parker

The Rotorua Lakes Council has reported damage to the roof of the pools in Kuirau Park and a tree down over the walkway at Sulphur Pt.

Trees were down over a footpath on Galvin Rd and on State Highway 30, blocking the northbound lane.

There are new slips on Endean Rd about 800m from the Paradise Valley Rd turnoff and on Te Waerenga Rd in Hamurana.

A sizable pothole has appeared on State Highway 5 between Tarukenga Rd and the rest area and another on State Highway 33 at the corner of Cookson Rd.

P