Pam delivers a coconut

Cyclone Pam staged a stellar performance at Taupo Bay according to resident Brian Carter, but Northland appeared yesterday to have emerged largely unscathed.

Mr Carter said he had not seen seas like those that pounded the beach in the early hours of yesterday morning in the 32 years that he had lived there.

At one point, around 2am, waves were crashing through the fence above the beach, covering the foreshore in logs and other debris, including a coconut.

"The breakers were colossal," he said, but the conditions had begun to ease a little by daybreak.

Meanwhile Tony Phipps, Group Controller for the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group, said as of 7.15am yesterday officials had had no reports of serious damage or injury linked to the arrival of the cyclone.

Northland Regional Council figures showed the highest rainfall between Sunday afternoon and early yesterday morning was 67.5mm at Glenbervie, east of Whangarei, and the maximum wind gust recorded at Cape Reinga was 118.5km/h. The Northland Age recorded 16.1mm of rain in Kaitaia.

"Emergency services have reported a quiet night with few storm-related incidents, although daylight may reveal some damage that we are as yet unaware of given the heavy seas off Northland's east coast overnight," he said, adding that, given the devastation and misery Cyclone Pam had caused in the Pacific, Northland, which often bore the initial brunt of tropical cyclones that reached New Zealand, had been fortunate that it had eased as predicted as it drew closer.

"Our thoughts are now with those in the Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Bay of Plenty areas, which are expected to feel Pam's effects a bit more severely," he said.