Cyclone Lusi hits New Zealand

NZ: Evacuations eyed as tropical storm hits

As severe gales and heavy rain brought by the remains of Cyclone Lusi cause flooding, property damage and power cuts, Civil Defence is preparing to evacuate 50 houses along the coast in Milford, Cheltenham, Orewa, Whangateau, and Wairewa.

Radio NZ,

15 March, 2014

Dangerous sea conditions hit Auckland's north eastern beaches as the tide rose and winds picked up.

The police searched for a father and son after it was reported that an 11 year old boy was swept out to sea off Auckland's Takapuna Beach.

A friend of the father reported the boy missing just before 2pm, but police could not find the father, and witnesses reported seeing two boys leaving the water at different points of the beach.

Cyclone Lusi made a deadly sweep through Vanuatu this week and the tail end of it hit Northland on Friday night.

Strong wind in Whangarei and other parts of Northland caused power cuts and damage.

Photo: RNZ / Lois Williams

In Auckland, civil defence controller Clive Manley says preparations are being made to evacuate around 50 houses if the swell picks up and beaches start to erode.

Minor flooding in coastal areas in North Shore and Rodney would worsen with the rising tide, peaking at about 8pm on Saturday.

And the lines company Vector said on Satrueday evening the power was back on in Whitford, Stanmore Bay and Arkles Bay, but more than 2400 customers in Waimuku, Port Albert, South Head and Wellsford were still without power. That was down from 7200 customers earlier in the day.

Mr Manley says that seven metre swells in some areas are expected to also cause problems such as beach erosion.

At least three boats in Auckland Harbour broke their moorings and a ship that was due to enter the harbour instead sheltered off the Coromandel Peninsula.

A rockfall blocked the Hibiscus Coast Highway at Waiwera.

Photo: RNZ / Lois Williams

In Northland, wind gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour sent trees and even a shed flying into power lines on Saturday morning, and line crews worked from first light to restore power lines brought down by falling trees.

The power company Top Energy said at mid-afternoon that though the winds were easing in the Far North, the rain had become steady and heavy.

Violent wind gusts in the Bay of Islands town of Paihia wrenched two boats from their moorings and scattered tree branches over roads.

Paihia's waterfront road was closed when storm surges swept across it at high tide

In a service building next to an hotel, basement flooding caused an explosion. Northland Fire Chief Alan Kerrisk says no-one was hurt, but the big bang did some damage.

Mr Kerrisk says Bay of Islands firefighters were busy all day, securing boats, and roofs as they lifted in galeforce winds; pumping out basements, and unblocking drains.

Heavy swells washed up over Marsden Road, and resident Chester Rendall says swells also sliced off a large chunk of the embankment along the Paihia waterfront. Firefighters had to pump water from the basements of the Kingsgate Hotel and an apartment building.

But the Far North mayor John Carter says that despite the downed trees and power lines in east coast communities, the damage in the region was about par for a big easterly blow, and Northland's been lucky.

On Saturday afternoon, power was out to about 1000 homes from Hukerenui to Kaiwaka in the Whangarei district, while 2000 other properties in the Far North which were cut off early on Saturday had supplies restored. About 500 home phone lines were down in Oakleigh, Telecom said, due to high winds bringing down overhead wires.

Several trees fell across State Highway 14 between Whangarei and Dargaville and debris was scattered on many other roads.

Crews cleared powerlines that came down across a road in Horeke. At Kaeo, lines fell across a road into a paddock, the Fire Service said. Police advised people who had to travel to drive carefully.

Heavy rain was recorded at Cape Reinga on Friday night and at Kerikeri where wind gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour were recorded.

The Fire Service moved equipment and staff into Northland on Friday to ensure there are enough resources during the severe weather. Five engines and 26 firefighters travelled from Takapuna Fire Station in Auckland to Kerikeri.

The MetService predicted the storm would reach the middle of the country by Saturday night and Canterbury on Sunday morning.