Canoeist dies during worst storm in decade

A tree brought down by the storm in Pukenui, Northland. Photo / Kylie Cramond

Searchers have found the body of a canoeist who disappeared while paddling in stormy seas off Mt Maunganui.

The North Island was yesterday hit by the worst storm in a decade, with winds gusting to hurricane force. The winds downed powerlines and trees, while heavy rain caused flooding - closing roads.

Rotorua rafting guide James Moore, 33, was one of four people who set off on their outrigger canoes from Maketu about 1.30pm yesterday to paddle to Pilot Bay in Tauranga Harbour.

Senior Sergeant Carl Purcell said one of the group turned back after cracking a hull while trying to cross the Maketu bar but the others continued.

"About 500m off Leisure Island at the Mt Maunganui main beach one of the paddlers got into difficulty and fell off his canoe and was reported missing," Mr Purcell said.

Searchers were hampered by extreme conditions, including six to seven metre swells and high winds. Mr Moore's body was found about 11.30am today.

Two other people died after the fishing boat they were on ran aground east of Opotiki.

Power cuts

The weather bomb left a trail of destruction across the North Island, cutting power to more than 60,000 homes.

Northland was hardest hit, with winds of up to 167km/h bringing down trees and power lines, and heavy rain flooding roads.

The MetService today dropped its severe weather warning for the region but thousands of homes there remain without electricity.

About 3,500 homes in the Rodney District, Waiheke Island, North Shore and west Auckland are still reported to be without power after cuts last night affected some 53,000 properties.

Power company Vector said strong winds were hampering linesmen and warned some could experience "prolonged outages".

"Vector are using helicopters (this) morning to get an accurate assessment of the extent of the damage, but reports coming in from the field suggest that falling trees, high winds, and heavy rain have impacted the network significantly," a spokesperson said.

Some homes may be without power for a couple of days.

Power was also cut to about PowerCo 30,000 customers from north of Thames to Patea, in Taranaki, but many were reconnected by last night.