Big blow batters holiday-makers

High winds pounding the Tawharanui campground gave this camper an unexpected challenge yesterday. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Extreme conditions - including wind, rain and fire - caused havoc across the country yesterday, sending holiday-makers packing, disrupting flights and lifting roofs off houses.

Strong winds began moving up the country early yesterday and continued until late afternoon, the strongest recorded in Stewart Island and Mid Dome in Central Otago with winds up to 180km/h.

In Invercargill gusts of up to 110km/h tore roofs off houses and the MetService said the city cooled in heavy rain to 12C.

In Canterbury warm northwesterly winds fuelled a number of grass and scrub fires, and in Wellington gusts of up to 150km/h left passengers stranded at Wellington Airport.

At the airport, Dean Marden, of Budget Rent a Car, said there were a few white-faced passengers walking around.

"One guy said [his flight] was the most singularly scary flight he had had in his life.

"He looked very pale."

He said passengers were saying one minute they were looking at the ground, the next minute the sky, then the airport.

"They're just all over the place."

Flights on smaller commercial aircraft had to be cancelled because they could not handle the winds, which the MetService said at their worst were up to 150km/h.

Wellington Airport assistant duty manager Irueti Park said several Boeing 737 flights had to be diverted to Palmerston North but were back to normal yesterday afternoon.

MetService forecaster John Crouch said winds affected the whole country, with 140 to 150km/h gusts in Wellington, Wairarapa, Hastings and Canterbury, where temperatures got up to 30C.

Invercargill senior station officer Maurice Robertson said yesterday morning 35 firefighters were dealing with roofs coming off houses.

"It's a struggle to stand up in some of the gusts, they're that strong."

In the Bay of Islands three helicopters with monsoon buckets, volunteer firefighters and the Department of Conservation battled a scrub blaze near Waitangi.

The fire started in bush near Haruru Falls just before midday and covered a 10ha area.

The road from Waitangi to the falls was closed but later reopened as the crews worked all afternoon to bring the flames under control.

A huge blaze at Christchurch's Waimairi Beach was finally under control last night, although firefighters were still working on it.

Southern Communications Fire Centre shift manager Brian Sharpe said the blaze, which had been fought by 12 appliances and three helicopters at its height, was under control.

However, hot spots continued to be dampened down.

At the other end of the South Island, Stewart Island Backpackers receptionist Sue Lind said campers' tents had blown over and one had blown away during Sunday night.

Some campers were trapped on the island because wind and rain had cancelled the ferry and planes.

Last night reports of a wall of water surging down the Rakaia River prompted a flood warning for the mid-Canterbury town's riverside camp ground but Environment Canterbury later said the high water level posed no danger.

Commercial pilots flying 3000m above the Rakaia River first warned air traffic controllers about 6.30pm.

Police told the Rakaia River Holiday Park - situated near the river, 28km from Ashburton - that a wall of water might be on the way and park co-owner Robyn Jackson warned the camp's 200 holiday-makers to stay clear of the river.

But Environment Canterbury river and hazards manager Tony Boyle said the high water level looked worse than it was.

"We've had about 100mm to 200mm of rain out there, which looks pretty dramatic from the air, but as it heads down the river it spreads out.

"By our standards, it's nothing to worry the Rakaia."

Mr Crouch said the worst of the weather was over by yesterday afternoon but holiday-makers could expect more bad weather today.

The MetService was forecasting bursts of heavy rain for the West Coast of the South Island and more winds for central and southern parts of the country, although not as severe as yesterday.

TODAY'S OUTLOOK

* Mainly fine and cloudy in the north of the North Island.

* Windy in the lower North Island and South Island but not as bad as yesterday.

* Bursts of heavy rain on the West Coast.

additional reporting:

Derek Cheng, NZPA