Northland's emergency services were stretched to capacity as winds up to 160km/h and rain lashed the region yesterday and overnight, sparking the busiest day for Far North firefighters in seven years, with more than 50 call-outs as trees fell on houses and powerlines.
Fire Service Far North area commander Allan Kerrisk said with 28 roofs damaged or blown off and countless trees and powerlines brought down, yesterday was the busiest day in the Far North since the storms of 2007 - and more was due overnight.
The damage at 6pm included 28 roofs, with entire roofs blown off homes at Omapere, Kaingaroa, Waimamaku and Mangonui. A fire was going in one Waimamaku fireplace at the time, spreading flames through the house.
The worst hit area was the Aupouri Peninsula but by nightfall the worst of the winds had moved on to Doubtless Bay and down the west coast to Kaipara.
Mr Kerrisk expected the heaviest rain to fall in the early hours today so the Fire Service was staying in close contact with Civil Defence.
The situation was so bad 16 fire fighters, two fire appliances, a lighting rig and four-wheel drive vehicle were called to Northland from Auckland to support the local fire brigades which were expected to be exhausted today.
Linesmen from Far North power company Top Energy and Whangarei/Dargaville company Northpower working in terrible conditions to restore power to the more than 10,000 homes and properties left during the day, and about 1000 were expected to be without power overnight.
By 6pm the Fire Service had received more than 50-weather related callouts, 20 to Kaitaia.
Trees were brought down across the Aupouri Peninsula, in many cases bringing powerlines downand hampering the work of crews trying to clear up.
Live powerlines were brought down across Rarawa Beach Rd and Paparore Rd; downed power lines set a tree on fire on State Highway 12 near Kaikohe.
Around 3.30pm a Dune Rider bus was hit by a falling tree near Ngataki Marae, about 60km north of Kaitaia. No one was hurt but the windscreen was smashed and the bus had to be towed free.
Earlier a large macrocarpa blocked State Highway 1 near Te Kao, trapping tourist buses returning from Cape Reinga.
In Omapere firefighters were kept busy securing roofs.
Other roads were blocked at Rawene, Kerikeri, Opahi, Otangaroa, Russell, Kaikohe, Pukenui, Takahue, Oruaiti and Houhora.
In Whangarei a large macrocarpa tree fell across Three Mile Bush Rd, west of Kamo.