Icy blast: Send us your photos

Herald online

10 Jul, 2015 11:42 PM2 mins to read

Sunset over the Remarkables. Photo / Lavina Good

At least 75 rural homes in the East Coast remain without power after heavy snow storms.

Gisborne and its surrounds bore the brunt of this week's wintry blast, with snow falling in the city for the first time in 51 years.

Power was cut to at least 300 properties yesterday, but only 75 remained without power this morning.

Eastland Network general manager networks, Brent Stewart, said extra crews were making their way to the area, although many roads were still closed due to the snow.

"We are working to get everything back up, and we're hoping the vast majority will be reconnected by tomorrow," said Stewart.

"We've got crews coming from Napier, Palmerston North and Bay of Plenty but the roads are still very congested with snow so we're trying to get through."

Stewart said that most of the properties affected were rural, however he said most people living there were "quite resilient" and would have access to wood burners and power generators.

Temperatures were expected to drop to 4C in Auckland overnight and in the South Island severe frosts were expected in many alpine areas. Hanmer Springs was on track to reach an all-time record low of -12C.