Strong winds disrupt Queenstown flights

Flights were disrupted at Queenstown Airport. Photo / Getty Images

Strong winds in Queenstown toppled trees and affected flights in and out of Queenstown Airport yesterday.

Queenstown Lakes District Council communications manager Michele Poole said the council received reports of wind gusts bringing down trees in Queenstown, Wanaka and Glenorchy, and a tree had fallen on a parked car at the Crown Range Road turnoff.

There were no reports of injuries.

''We've just been advising people through social media channels to look out for trees across the road on their drive home.''

Queenstown Airport communications manager Jen Andrews said the winds had disrupted flights from 2pm.

Three planes were diverted to Invercargill, and two other incoming flights were cancelled, forcing the cancellation of four outgoing flights.

The airport had experienced winds of variable speeds, swinging around 300 degrees, and gusts of up to 40kmh every few minutes.

Delta marketing and communications manager Gary Johnson said a brief power cut in Queenstown at 3.20pm had been caused by the failure of a high voltage insulator.

The fault was automatically isolated and power restored, and crews were carrying out repairs. Mr Johnson could not say where the fault occurred, or whether it was wind-related.

- Otago Daily Times