Thousands of Northlanders were to wake up to a particularly cold morning, with more than 17,000 homes and businesses without power overnight as the big storm brought chaos to the region.
Emergency services, linesmen, volunteers and home owners were today mopping up after the storm tore off roofs and ripped up trees, flipped trucks near Kaiwaka, flooded bridges in the Bay of Islands and brought down power lines across Northland.
Top Energy said about 11,000 Far North households were without power overnight following extensive damage to the region's electricity network by the severe storm. The areas that continue to be most impacted by the loss of power are Pukenui, Awanui, Te Kao, Te Hapua, Mahiniapua, Peria, Towai, Russell and Opononi. About 6500 Northpower customers were without power overnight across the Kaipara and Whangarei District.
Two motorists stranded in the middle of raging floodwaters were pulled to safety early yesterday by a police officer riding a digger bucket.
The drama unfolded about 6.30am at the bottom of Lemon's Hill, where State Highway 11 crosses the usually sedate Kawakawa River.