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A man was killed, roads were closed, trees and powerlines were felled and rivers swelled today during wild weather that caused chaos across the South Island and lower North Island.
A milk tank driver was killed near Culverden in North Canterbury after a branch fell on him while he tried to clear debris from a road at about 7.30am.
Labour Department health and safety inspectors were investigating the fatal accident as it was work-related, police said.
A police investigation was also under way.
Tonight Civil Defence workers would remain on alert as Canterbury rivers were due to peak in the next few hours.
Emergency management staff were on standby in the Selwyn District, Arthur's Pass, and the Rakaia River.
Canterbury Civil Defence and Emergency Management regional manager John Fisher said the Rakaia River was at its highest level since 1994.
Residents living on the banks of the Rakaia River would be evacuated overnight if necessary, Mr Fisher said.
Civil Defence and Emergency Management Selwyn District Council manager Wilson Brown said a house had been evacuated in Arthur's Pass as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, State Highway 73 has reopened after it was closed by fallen trees and flooding at Arthur's Pass.
Police and roading authorities have also reopened SH7 just north of Culverden after trees blocked the road and the high winds made it treacherous for motorists.
Wellington also took a battering as uprooted trees blocked the Basin Reserve entrance to Mt Victoria tunnel, and a truck was blown over near the summit of the Rimutaka Hill Road about 12.30pm.
All vehicles were later cleared to drive over the Rimutaka Hill Road after most were stopped due to the extreme winds.
Wellington fire communications shift manager Murray Dunbar said the fire service had received about 20 callouts from around Wellington about roofs lifting and downed powerpoles.
Fire alarms had also been triggered by the high winds, Mr Dunbar said.
Inspector Bob Palmer, of the police southern communications, also said there had been several reports of roofs being blown off houses in Hanmer Springs and the Ferry Bridge over the Waiau River was closed for a time after being blocked by a fallen tree.
Power outages attributed to the wind were reported throughout North Canterbury as Christchurch sweltered in a 28C nor'wester.
- NZPA
