Jean Anderson, of Clinton, South Otago, whose roof was torn off, said: “Just hoping it doesn’t rain too much and that we can get a tarp or something up.
”Also, the power line has come adrift from the end of the house, so that’s also going to be a pain, but we’ve had plenty of offers of spare beds, and a spare house even, so we’ll have somewhere to stay if things get worse."
Three cars parked at Dunedin's Caledonian sports ground have been damaged by falling branches. Photo / Ben Tomsett
MetService issued red warnings, signifying strong winds, across much of the South Island’s eastern regions and southern parts of the North Island.
Gusts of up to 150km/h are expected in exposed areas of the Canterbury high country, with Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains forecast to have winds reaching 140km/h until late afternoon.
Across the South Island, heavy rain warnings remain in place, with some areas expected to receive up to 150mm of rain on top of previous rainfall.
The storm has caused widespread damage: trees have been uprooted in Hurunui and caravans flipped in Culverden, both in North Canterbury, and multiple roofs lifted.
Authorities in Clutha and Grey districts have urged residents to conserve water as treatment plants experience outages.
Councils have closed parks, libraries and community facilities, and emergency operations centres have been activated to monitor impacts.
Residents have been advised to avoid travel because of fallen trees, downed power lines and debris on roads.
Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.
