Wild weather in Northland brings down trees, cellphone towers and cuts power

• Ex-tropical Cyclone Tam has battered Northland overnight with heavy rain and strong winds.
• About 13,000 homes and businesses may have to wait days for power to be restored.
• No state highways are officially closed, although the Kāeo River threatens to flood SH10 in the town.
• People are urged to stay home if they can.

About 13,000 Northlanders remain without power after strong winds from ex-tropical Cyclone Tam cut supply.

As of 3.30pm today, about 8000 Northpower customers still have no power, down from a peak of more than 20,000 overnight.

Around 5000 Top Energy customers are yet to have power restored, down from 15,000.

Sweeping power outages affected Northland residents this morning. Image / Northpower

Both companies warned it may take up to three days for power to be restored to areas hardest hit.

For others, customers may be without power for the rest of the day or overnight.

The spokesperson said cyclone winds caused major damage to the Northpower network overnight, much of this from trees falling through lines.

Northpower crews began restoring power to affected customers once conditions were safe to do so.

“Now that winds and rain have started to ease, full repair and restoration work is ramping up.

“We’ve also mobilised additional crews from across the North Island, with over 150 people now working on the response,” a spokesperson said.

A Northpower lines worker clears a tree from a power line on Hatea Drive, Whangārei, as strong winds from ex-tropical Cyclone Tam batter the region. Photo / Mike Dinsdale

Top Energy reported earlier today about half of its network had lost power.

The company urged customers to prepare for “prolonged outages” as its network had suffered “extensive damage” from trees and high winds.

“We know people are having a hard time, and this storm is testing their resilience,“ a spokesperson said.

“Our teams are focused on repairing the damage to the backbone of the network, but the conditions are making this very challenging.”

Top Energy outages in the Far North as of 11.30am on Thursday. Image / Top Energy

Fourteen of Northland’s fire stations were without power early today.

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo told RNZ trees falling on the powerlines started causing problems from 11pm last night.

He urged residents to be cautious and if possible, stay home.

“We’re still predicted to have some very high winds today … please be aware of the conditions, we don’t want anyone to be trapped,” he said.

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania told RNZ trees had caused multiple road closures.

No sleep: Resident speaks of when cyclone hit

Some Northland residents endured a sleepless night as wind and rain from Cyclone Tam thrashed the region.

Cable Bay resident Lisa Murphy said she had no sleep as the glass windows of her home flexed in the wind.

Murphy shared her experience through Facebook Messenger – her local cell tower is down so phoning was not an option.

She said locals rallied to help one another.

“Trees down. Debris scattered throughout. Ocean intruding on to the road near the coast at Taipa and Mangōnui.”

The beach at Cable Bay. Photo / Aaron McCloy

Murphy said the Doubtless Bay Four Square was packed with people bulk-buying water and other essentials.

“Petrol stations have no power. We have a powerbank station at home, so have internet.

“The majority of people will have none, unless they run on solar.”

Murphy said locals had stayed home from work because it was too dangerous to drive.

Conditions proved dangerous further south, where a Mini became trapped in floodwaters on Rangiahua Bridge on State Highway 1, Hōreke, about 10.30am.

A farmer reportedly pulled the car and its driver to safety.

The Mini trapped in floodwaters on Rangiahua Bridge, SH1 in Hōreke. Photo / Joe Marshall

Fire and Emergency’s Auckland-based swift water rescue team assisted.

Hato Hone St John said a patient was assessed at the scene and no treatment or transport was required.

Flooding across Rangiahua Bridge is reported to be blocking both lanes. Motorists are asked to follow the directions of response crews in the area.

Civil Defence Northland spokesman Zachary Woods reported no evacuations or welfare centres had been needed.

Graeme Quensell, Fire and Emergency NZ group manager for Northland, said firefighters had dealt with 120 weather-related calls since midnight.

The majority were trees and power lines toppled on to roads but there were also two calls during the night about trees landing on houses.

During the day firefighters were called to a fire in a tree, which had fallen on to power lines in rural Matapouri.

Fire and Emergency staff also helped a Paihia family secure their belongings after the roof on their Panorama Ave house was blown completely off by high winds. Another roof came off an unoccupied property at Wintell St, Mangawhai Heads.

When will the wild weather stop?

MetService says the wild weather is set to continue until at least 9pm.

Northlanders have been told to expect 40 to 70mm of rain in the next nine hours on top of what has already fallen.

MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti said Northland had “significant accumulations” of rain over the past 12 hours.

Kaikohe had the most with 76mm, followed by Whangārei, 58.9mm; Kerikeri, 42.8mm and Kaitāia, 37mm. Cape Rēinga copped 12mm of rain and Dargaville 5.6mm.

Floodwater near Umawera. Photo / Matthew Davison

Shiviti said the heavy rain warning was still expected to stay in place until 9pm before the rain moved south.

The strong wind warning was also expected to be in place until 8pm.

“Both of these rain and winds should ease off later tonight, however, it will be an easing trend, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be completely dry.”

Wind had caused trees to fall on roads and powerlines throughout Northland, while flooding has caused problems on crucial state highways.

Whangārei resident Andy Mayhew says this tree fell on his Kauri driveway yesterday, cutting power, which was restored in the middle of the night. Photo / Andrew Mayhew

The top of the country recorded 155km/h wind gusts at Cape Rēinga at 2am, MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said.

On the Beaufort Wind Scale, 155km/h is hurricane strength and the highest category on that scale.

Makgabutlane was unsure if the winds would reach that strength again but said “pretty strong” gusts were expected until this evening.

Even in areas that are more sheltered there were severe gusts, such as a 96km/h reading recorded in Whangārei.

The strong winds caused numerous power and phone outages.

Cellphone towers down

Northland police said transmission towers in the region’s east and north were damaged overnight.

Cell phone reception has been affected in some areas but landlines were still operating.

The affected areas include Tikitikioure, Taupō Bay, Domain Rd, Karikari Central, Mangōnui, Waimauku, Matapōuri, Huruiki and Helena Bay.

Crews are working to restore services but police advise anyone needing emergency services to call 111 from a landline.

Flooding in Kāeo

Far North rivers have risen overnight, with the Kāeo River having flooded on to SH10.

The Kāeo River flooded State Highway 10 this morning but has receded. Photo / Northland Regional Council webcam

Motorists have reported the highway is now clear of floodwaters that peaked around high tide at 10.15am today.

Flooding in Kāeo. Photo / Esme Sherwin

Mike Butler, who co-ordinates Civil Defence in Kawakawa and Moerewa, earlier said rivers were full and breaching, and farmers were taking their cows to higher ground.

The Kawakawa River at the Taumarere bridge was “right on borderline”, as was the river at the Waiomio Bridge.

Doels Rd in Kawakawa in Northland is flooded. Photo / Mike Butler

Tirohanga stream bridge was already breaching and Doels Rd was flooded.

Butler said it would not be long before the rivers form “Lake Kawakawa”.

“She’s blowing a gale; there’s massive debris on the road. All the roads are good, there’s just massive ponds in the middle of the road.”

Butler urged whānau to have enough food and water, and look out for elderly kaumātua and kuia.

Road closures

Fallen trees and flooding have closed a number of roads in Northland.

Road closures in the Far North include Greenacres Drivde, Hōreke Rd, Iwitaua Rd, Okaka Rd, Otaha Rd, Pukepoto Rd in Ōkaihau, and Waikare Rd.

Whangārei District Council has reported two road closures – Snooks Rd and Otonga-Marua Rd.

Roads partially closed included Bay View Rd, Old Parua Bay Rd, Kerr Rd, Russell Rd, Waiotu Rd, Oakura Rd and Opouteke Rd.

In Kaipara, closed roads are Monteith Rd, Waimatenui East Rd and Oparakau Rd.

Roads down to single lane are Carter Rd, Dunn Rd, Grove Rd, Mangawhai Rd, Mountain Rd, Pouto Rd in two locations and Sandy Beach Rd.

Council said all single-lane locations were scheduled to be remedied today except Sandy Beach Rd, as its timeframe was unconfirmed because of a downed powerline.

Swells up to 12m recorded

Northland harbourmaster Jim Lyle said it had been a windy night in Ōpua where he is based.

A wave buoy north of the Bay of Islands recorded huge 12m swells and an Okaihau wind gauge recorded 65 knots (120km).

The Northland Regional Council reported on its website that the colossal swell hit shores at 4.21am, and 10m and 11m waves were recorded at 8am and 9am.

Waves run over the foreshore at Helena Bay, northeast of Whangārei central, at high tide on Thursday morning. Photo / Denise Piper

A launch that beached at One Tree Point today is one of four to wash ashore in Whangārei during the storm so far, Lyle said.

Three other vessels had ended up on the muddy edges of the Hātea River near Kissing Point. Further north, there was a report of a boat upside down at Mangōnui.

Most of the owners of the stranded vessels had been contacted but Lyle said he was still trying to contact the owner of the launch at One Tree Point.

A launch washed up on the beach at One Tree Point today during ex-tropical Cyclone Tam. Photo / Supplied

Lyle said some ships had to removed from Port of Whangārei to wait out the bad weather further out at sea.

A cement ship scheduled to enter the harbour on Wednesday also had to remain out at sea.

Civil Defence Northland spokesman Zachary Woods warned Northlanders to stay away from coastal areas.

Boats rolling in the increasing swell at Parua Bay on Thursday morning. Photo / Karina Cooper

“Today’s not necessarily the day that you need to go to the beach,” he said.

Many rivers are very high, especially in the Far North and eastern Northland, and a combination of high tide, strong wind and swells could bring flooding to coastal areas today, Woods explained.

Whangārei Falls as heavy rain from ex-tropical Cyclone Tam pounds Northland. Photo / Mike Dinsdale

‘Unacceptable’: Northland MP on Paihia storm damage

Northland MP Grant McCallum said storm damage at Paihia was unacceptable both for tourism businesses and local residents.

State Highway 11 (Marsden Rd) is closed due to storm inundation, with a short detour in place.

But McCallum said the highway was completely undermined, with cabling and pipes now exposed.

A long-term solution was needed to stop the repeated flooding and storm surges in Paihia, which is heavily reliant on tourists, he said.

Previous solutions have included a breakwater, which some local residents opposed due to environmental concerns.

McCallum said he was not an expert, but an acceptable solution is needed quickly.

This article’s final update was at 4.45pm.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.