No power for thousands of homes after overnight winds

1.00pm

About 9,000 consumers are without power after last night's gale force winds.

Powerco General Manager Network Assets Richard Krogh says they had the number of customers without supply down to 400 at midday yesterday as the repairs from storm damage continued in the lower North Island

But he says the latest weather front to come through ruined all that.

Access to many areas is still close to impossible.

Helicopters were being used to help crews get to isolated areas, particularly in Taranaki and Wanganui, although weather conditions today have limited flying.

Meanwhile, Tranz Rail has been forced to close the main trunk line again.

Spokeswoman Sue Foley says no trains are running between Taumarunui and Shannon because of slips that came down overnight.

Tranz Rail has another major problem, this time on the line between Masterton and Palmerston North.

The rail bridge at Mangatainoka appears to have been severely damaged.

That's dashed hopes of running trains between Auckland and Wellington through the Manawatu Gorge.

Tranz Rail hopes to have the slips between Taumarunui and Shannon cleared this afternoon.

It hopes to reopen the rail bridge at Longburn south of Palmerston North by late tomorrow night.

That will mean the entire main trunk line will be operational again.

Meanwhile, the forecast isn't looking good for the flood-damaged lower North Island.

MetService forecaster Geoff Sanders says there may be some rain tomorrow that could cause some problems.

The front which brought very strong winds overnight has moved off the country.

The state of civil emergency across much of the lower North Island will remain in force until at least midday tomorrow.

That is when civil defence controllers from around the Manawatu/Wanganui/Horowhenua region will meet to assess the flooding situation.

Horizons Regional Council says overnight wind has brought down trees and power lines throughout the affected region.

Fortunately, the council says the rain that accompanied the storm was relatively light, with minimal effect on rivers.

The Manawatu River is now under two metres, while the Rangitikei is down to four metres from a high of nearly nine.

The council says a priority now is disposing of the many dead animals in the wake of the flooding.

The Bonny Glen landfill has been reopened to accept carcasses which can't be rendered.

And downed power lines mean water supplies in Hunterville and Ratana are running low.

The council says water tankers are being sent to both settlements.

Just-released rainfall figures highlight just how bad the weather has been for the lower North Island.

Cheltenham has received four times its usual monthly rainfall in six days, getting a total of 253 millimetres.

Palmerston North had twice its monthly rainfall in the same period.

Heavy rain exceeding 100 millimetres in 24 hours was recorded at 22 sites throughout the Manawatu/Wanganui region.

Three sites recorded more than 200 millimetres on February 16.

One of the icons of the New Zealand rural scene, the Federation of Country Women's Institutes, is rallying to help farming families affected by the flooding.

National President Avis Rishworth says they're offering practical help wherever possible, including providing home-cooked meals to flood victims and emergency services.

She says many CWI members know first hand what it's like to be the victim of a flood.

- Newstalk ZB