Storm legacy still lingering

Steve Gould's power was finally reconnected last night after being cut last Thursday. Photo / Richard Robinson

Some households only just reconnected while others still waiting for water to heat up

Almost a week after a damaging storm, some Auckland residents were still without hot water last night while the last few houses were having their power restored.

Lines company Vector said at 6pm yesterday it had restored all hot water pilots since Tuesday night's large gusts that brought down trees and power lines, damaged homes and left 90,000 houses were without power. Vector said it would take four to six hours for the water to heat up.

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Four houses on Woodglen Rd in Glen Eden lost power when a tree brought down lines.

Resident Steve Gould said he phoned his power company Mercury Energy the next morning, and Vector arrived about 10.30pm Thursday to disconnect the power.

The company began work on restoring power to the affected houses yesterday afternoon and Mr Gould's power was restored about 6pm but he did not have hot water.

Henderson resident Gary Hall was without hot water until 5.30pm yesterday. "We lived in India for five months, and it's actually easier living in India and putting up with their Third World antics than it is living here in New Zealand when you think we're in the 21st century and they can't get something like this sorted out," said Mr Hall.

Richard Doherty and Debbie Ross were nursing their sick 4-year-old daughter when the power went off at their Jillian Drive home in Ranui. They rushed her to hospital at 4am Saturday and she was diagnosed with pneumonia. Ms Ross said it was unpleasant coming home to a cold house at 7am with an unwell child.

Ramon Carney was forced to move into a motel after a tree fell on to his Titirangi home, trapping him inside. A tree specialist company informed him it was possible the tree could move position and crash through the house.

Specialist machinery was needed to lift the large trunk.

A permit was also needed from Auckland Council to bring the required equipment down Scenic Drive.

Vector said last night all customers with no power from storm damage had been restored.