Harsh overnight weather causes power cuts and brings down tree in Whanganui

Powerco contractors are assessing and repairing damage following the outages. Photo / File

Properties in Whanganui and South Taranaki have experienced overnight powercuts during a night of harsh weather.

Around 90 customers in Whanganui, Hunterville and Waverley were affected.

Powerco network operations manager Phil Marsh said all faults were isolated, and that power has been restored to most of the affected customers through back-feeding of supply.

"Crews were on the road first thing to target the damaged areas and we hope to have all faults repaired by the day's end," Marsh said.

"Wind-blown debris caused most of the faults and it's a matter of clearing that, assessing the damage and making repairs."

Today at least 41 Whanganui properties and 35 Waverley properties were still without power at 7am.

A tree was brought down at an Aramoho property overnight. Photo / Supplied

The wind was strong enough to bring down a tree at an Aramoho property.

Lucknow St resident Janice Waugh said the fallen tree had blocked her driveway, and landed only metres from the bedroom she and her husband were sleeping in.

"We thought we heard something before we went to bed but we didn't know it had come down in the night, it wasn't until we woke up this morning and my husband said I better look out the window.

"I felt pretty lucky it wasn't any closer, pretty shocked but just lucky it didn't hit the house."