Updated:
More trees have been reported falling down in the Rotorua district. The Rotorua District Council has issued alerts about trees falling at SH30 Ruato Bay, which is across three quarters of the road on a sharp bend, and another near Hinehopu Golf Club which is across half the road.
"We would urge people to please take extra care if travelling out that way and in fact, anywhere in the district," a spokeswoman said.
Some roads have been cleared after windy weather caused trees to fall and block them.
The Rotorua District Council said, as of 4pm, Corbett Road, Tarawera Rd and Hamurana Rd have been cleared and are open to traffic.
Hamurana Rd is open but traffic control in place and may remain for sometime.
Tumunui Rd is open with hazard warnings in place. The tree that has fallen is large but stable. Specialist contractors will need to be called in, possibly tomorrow.
Earlier:
About 1400 customers are without power across Rotorua, as the region gets battered by high winds.
Unison Networks' Relationship and Customer Care Manager Danny Gough said the majority of outages had been caused by trees and debris on power lines, and advised customers to prepare for prolonged periods without power.
"At this stage we're aware of outages affecting customers in Rotoma, Okere, Tumunui, Tarawera and Waikite, and with the weather set to continue, we expect that number to remain fluid until the weather front passes," he said.
"Our crews are working hard to restore power to areas where access permits, but in high winds we do have to put the safety of our crews first, which may mean it could take time to repair damage and reconnect some customers."
Unison is advising customers to ensure they are prepared for power outages, and to call 0800 2 UNISON if they are without power.
"As part of your household emergency kit, make sure you have a battery operated radio and torch, a full gas bottle for cooking on your BBQ, and if you rely on electricity for heating, we also recommend a portable gas heater."
Strong winds have also toppled trees and resulted in flights to be cancelled in Rotorua.
Due to the 80 kmph cross wind gusts Rotorua is experiencing, the last couple of flights from the Rotorua International Airport have been cancelled, including the Sydney to Rotorua direct flight.
Passengers arriving on this flight have been diverted to Auckland and will be bused to Rotorua later today.
For more information about these cancellations or upcoming flights visit website www.rotorua-airport.co.nz or www.airnz.co.nz or call (07) 345 6175 to speak to the Air NZ team.
Trees are also down at Hamurana Rd, on a reserve on Aquarius Drive and on SH 5 (Waiotapu/Waikite Valley Road)
Power is also out on Te Akau Road.
Earlier:
Strong winds have toppled trees and caused power cuts across Rotorua.
Unison customer relations spokesman Danny Gough said there were currently some power outages around SH30 near Lakes Rotoiti, Rotoma and Tarawera.
He said that affected no more than 200 customers.
The main issues were in rural areas where branches and vegetation were blowing into power lines, he said.
"We're getting whacked by winds, we're just warning people to be aware there could be power cuts."
Mr Gough said they also had to make sure Unison staff were safe.
"Hopefully the worst of it is nearly over."
Fulton Hogan currently has three crews dealing with fallen trees on Rotorua roads.
The Rotorua District Council latest update said:
There were some boulders down on Hamurana Rd which is under traffic control
Tumunui Road in Waikite Valley may have to be closed as it may be too unsafe to clear while it's still windy.
Trees were down on Willow and Cooper Rds which are now clear.
Tree branches down and 'hung' up in trees at lakefront - Village Green area has been taped off - it is too windy to clear up right now.
A small tree came down on Long Mile Road at the Redwoods, blocking the road for 30 minutes. It is now clear.
Tarewa Road was a branch coming down on a car - the branch has been removed
Trees down on Tarawera Rd. This was the current priority and a crew will be sent there as soon as possible.
Members of the public with information about any trees or branches down should contact the Rotorua District Council on 348 4199.
Earlier: Police are urging locals to take extra care when driving as strong winds topple trees around the Rotorua district.
The strong winds have seen several trees fall and block roads around the city, causing delays for motorists.
Acting road policing Sergeant Lee Stringer said police have attended about four jobs relating to fallen trees this morning.
One fell on Long Mile Rd, near Tarawera Rd about 1pm today. Another fell on Northern Boundary Rd, near Rerewhakaaitu and police were currently trying to move the tree off the road with a rope.
He said another tree had fallen on Barber Rd, off Tumunui Rd, about 12.50pm. The road has been partially cleared and motorists could drive under the tree to get past.
Mr Stringer said he advised people to stay off the roads while the winds were so strong.
"We advise that if you don't need to be on the road, try to stay home, indoors and safe," he said.
Council contractors are working to remove a number of trees that have come down in today's windy weather. The affected roads so far are Willow Rd, Boundary Rd, Tarawera Rd, Tarewa Rd, Tumunui Rd - Waikite Valley, and Sala/Fenton streets.
Unison Networks today advised its customers to prepare for periods without power as its regions of Hawke's Bay, Taupo and Rotorua were being battered by high winds and wild weather.
Unison Networks' Relationship & Customer Care Manager, Danny Gough, said small pockets of customers across its network regions were experiencing power outages, and with the wind set to stick around, the Company was preparing for outages to continue.
"Most of the North Island is being battered by severe winds, which can bring lines down and cause trees and debris to damage the network.
"Our crews are working hard to restore power to those areas that have been affected on our network, but in weather like this, it is imperative we make sure it is safe for our team to carry out repairs. So, we ask for our customers' patience as we work to reconnect those who experience no power."
He said it was therefore timely for customers to prepare for power outages.
"As part of your household emergency kit, make sure you have a battery operated radio and torch, a full gas bottle for cooking on your BBQ, and if you rely on electricity for heating, we also recommend a portable gas heater."
Should the power go out, Unison advises the following safety precautions:
- Check for fallen or damaged power lines. Never touch wires or lines lying on the ground, hanging from poles, or objects such as trees that may be touching them. Fallen lines or wires may still be carrying an electrical current and could shock, injure or even kill if touched.
- Turn off the power at the main switch if you suspect any electrical damage in your home. If the power goes out, turn off all electrical appliances to prevent possible damage by a power surge when the electricity supply is restored.
- Remember that if the electricity network is damaged, it may take a number of hours to be reconnected, so make sure you have your household emergency kit ready.
A scene guard is in place, and inquiries continuing, police say.