Electricity supply to parts of Napier's northeastern suburbs was cut for a short time last night after a wind-kite with a 17-metres span was blown into a power pole. The freak mishap took place about 5pm, and the huge kite remained tangled with the pole and the lines 30-40 metres from the water's edge off Whakarire Ave, Westshore, for at least three hours, resident Neville Smith estimated.
Unison Network relationship manager Danny Gough said there was a short "safety disconnect," affecting about 500 customers later in the evening so that lines staff could "unravel" the kite and the lines. Power cuts were reported to be mainly no more than a few minutes. Mr Gough was among those who had seen the kite-surfers near the entrance to the Napier inner harbour, although he had not seen the incident and only heard of it later in the evening.
"They were fair hoofing it along when I saw them," he said.
Mr Smith, who arrived home soon after the incident, said it seemed the kite surfer was unable to manage the fierce wind.
The kite surfer was not thought to have been injured in the incident.