Snow and ice hit south again

By MONIQUE DEVEREUX and NZPA

Winter is keeping a firm grip on the South Island as snow isolates Dunedin for the second time in a week and restricts travel around the lower part of the country.

Schools were closed and emergency services were called to several minor accidents as icy conditions sent cars slipping off roads around Otago.

Motorists were advised to stay home yesterday morning and many central Dunedin businesses chose to close. Couriers and buses were still not running in the city yesterday afternoon.

The road between Milford and Te Anau was also closed for most of the day.

Snow was predicted for the Port Hills in Christchurch last night but not to the same degree as last week's blizzard, which also closed schools and prevented hillside residents from leaving their homes.

Strong winds buffeted the city for most of the day.

The cold moved slowly up the country towards Wellington yesterday, the wind chill factor keeping temperatures very low.

A Porirua family, who struggled without power for several days, were reconnected at the weekend, a Vector spokeswoman said.

The family of Manasa Rayasi, 68, his wife, Temalesi, 74, their daughter Bela, as well as three cousins, including Wellington rugby player Sireli Bobo, had been without hot water, heating or light since Wednesday.

They slept in one room to keep warm. Mrs Rayasi developed a chest infection.

Further north about 70 homes around Taihape have been without power since Wednesday.

Powerco's central and lower North Island networks were hit by heavy snow and severe winds in the storm.

The high country around Taihape was hardest hit.

Powerco spokesman Charles Kaka said getting everyone back on was "slow work".

The MetService says cold southerlies, showers and icy temperatures will continue in the South Island for most of the week.