Storm closes 24 schools - Northland spared the worst

Thousands of school students are enjoying an extra holiday with at least 20 schools closed today after a storm battered Northland.
The storm caused a major slip on State Highway One, at the intersection with SH14, about 35km south of Whangarei.
The slip was being cleared at edition time.
There was widespread minor damage from the overnight deluge which arrived late and did not reach the ferocity predicted.
However, 24 Northland schools closed today based on yesterday's weather forecast which had predicted up to 100mm of rain in the 15 hours to 6am today.
Up to 100mm did fall in some areas, but over a longer period.
In the 28 hours to 4am today, Whangarei had received up to 104.5mm.
Further north, Kaeo received 68mm in the 28 hours to 4am today and Kaitaia 32mm.
Fears that flood waters would trap students forced 27 schools to release pupils as early as 11am yesterday.
It was a short day at school for those at Bay of Islands College yesterday after Principal Bruce Devine decided to empty the classrooms at 11am, when swollen rivers at Moerewa threatened to swamp roads.
About 90 per cent of the 400 students travel to and from school on buses.
Mr Devine said the risk of having the students trapped at the school was too great, especially with high tide due late in the day, so they were sent home early.
"Student and teacher safety is paramount."
Mr Devine was to contact Civil Defence staff today to decide whether the school would reopen tomorrow for a careers day.
Opononi Area School remained shut for the second day as staff decided flooded rivers would trap students at the school.
Between 80 and 100mm of rain had been expected overnight.
Whangarei District Council spokesperson Ann Midson said rivers were still high despite less rain than expected.
Motorists were warned to drive carefully and be wary of flooding, slips and fallen trees. Heavy rain had been predicted for about 3pm yesterday but did not start until 9pm.
Several Whangarei retailers sandbagged their entrances as a precaution against surface flooding. There were also fears the Hatea River may overflow, after it came close to flooding into the CBD in a storm on Saturday.
However, high tide safely passed about 5am today.
Graeme MacDonald, the Northland Regional Council's Civil Defence Emergency Management Senior Programme Manager, said the region had a lucky escape.
"In the end, we had no new reports of flooding overnight, although there has been some damage to roading infrastructure throughout the region and to power networks, largely in the Far North."