Holiday storm wreaks havoc

An adventurous boogie boarder heads out to take on the rough seas at Mt Maunganui yesterday. Photo / Alan Gibson

Gale-force winds and heavy rains were bearing down on the east coast last night after battering the northern North Island, felling trees and cutting power to more than 12,000 dwellings, many with children on holiday.

Searchers will today resume combing the sea off Ohope, east of Whakatane, for a missing kayaker.

Rain is expected to continue over the next few days in Northland, Coromandel and western Bay of Plenty and today gales are likely in Auckland, Coromandel and the Kaimai Ranges.

However, Gisborne was expected to cop the heaviest deluges. Local civil defence controller Jon Davies said last night that staff and emergency services were preparing for the year's heaviest rainfall to the region.

"The problem is that once the ground is saturated, most of the rainfall runs off the land into rivers and streams and that's when it causes problems," he said. "We are monitoring the situation closely and maintaining close links with emergency services to deal with any issues that may arise."

The missing kayaker is a 70-year-old who was on a solo trip.

He is understood to live alone. Yesterday, after not hearing from him for five days, his family called the police.

His car was later found.

Sergeant Andrew O'Reilly of Whakatane said police were scouring the Ohiwa Harbour for clues.

The water offshore was rough, but the harbour was calm. Helicopters were also involved. "We're just trying to piece together what happened," Mr O'Reilly said.

Also yesterday, foul weather caused havoc to the power supply across the Auckland region.

It was hoped to have power restored overnight. Vector spokeswoman Philippa White said the company's electricity network had been hit hard early in the morning, when debris and fallen trees disrupted power to about 12,300 customers.

The North Shore, West Auckland and Rodney were particularly affected, Ms White said.

Around 79 houses in the northern section of Orewa had been without power since late Sunday night. Vector hoped to restore their power supplies overnight.

"An underground cable fault has occurred," Ms White said. "There's been a lot of sand and water gone down and we've got crews there and a sucker truck sucking out the water as they work."

Firefighters were called out numerous times in the upper North Island, including having to rescue a family of four after they were stranded in their car near Thames.

Their vehicle and another were trapped by rising waters on Kauaeranga Valley Rd about 11.30am.

A spokesman for the Fire Service's northern communications centre, Brent Dunn, said there had been dozens of callouts during the morning in the area from Northland to the Waikato, mostly to clear fallen trees and powerlines.

MetService has forecast the front to move slowly south, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay.

Weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said Gisborne and Hawkes Bay would bear the brunt of the rain, with up to 250mm expected in the ranges and 130mm in lower-lying areas until tomorrow.

Strong winds are expected to reach further south through tomorrow, with gales forecast in parts of eastern Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua and the Kapiti Coast.

Duty forecaster Heath Gullery said skiers heading to Whakapapa or Turoa on Mt Ruapehu this week could be disappointed.

"The weather is warmer so there will be no significant snow for those areas."

Weatherwatch.co.nz head analyst Philip Duncan said the East Coast ranges could get as much as 500mm of rain.

"We haven't seen something like this for a while. It has similar hallmarks to the one that brought heavy flooding to Whakatane and North Otago about a month ago," he said.

"The low that is bringing the heavy rain is going to stall. They are in for three or possibly four days of heavy rain."