Thousands left without power

Thousands of people on the Coromandel Peninsula are still without power this morning.

Wind damaged a high voltage feed into Whitianga last night, blacking out 9,500 homes in the Whitianga and Coromandel settlements.

Powerco Operations Manager Phil Marsh says linesmen have had to suspend their repair work because of the weather, with wind speeds of up to 160 kilometres an hour.

He says work to restore power will resume this morning.

- Newstalk ZB