Wild weather hits Auckland's Tamaki Drive. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Thousands of people are expected to be without power in Northland on Thursday night, as ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam makes its way down the North Island.
The storm has already brought down powerlines and trees, closed roads, cancelled ferries and flights, and damaged property.
In Auckland, a fallen tree trapped an elderly couple in their home on Thursday morning, while at one point about 8700 Northland properties were without power.
Repairs to the network could take days and we haven't seen the last of Tam's fury yet.
Residents battling the elements
On Auckland's North Shore, Esme Barber was left badly shaken, after a tree fell on a car mere minutes after her 10-year-old daughter left the vehicle.
"They had parked momentarily to go inside the house to get a few bits, and they were just coming out and it sounded like a really loud noise," she said.
"Then they got out and a massive tree fell on the car. So glad they weren't inside [the car], that would've been terrifying."
Barber had been concerned about the tree on Northboro Rd for some time.
Fallen tree causes damage in Belmont. Photo: RNZ / Calvin Samuel
"I've reported it to the council multiple times," she said. "There was a branch down a week or two ago, and the council arborists came by and did it, so they're very well aware."
In nearby Murray's Bay, locals Jess and Cass braved the ferocious wind, saying the wild weather had left the beach unrecognisable. The pair said they'd never seen the beach look like it did on Thursday.
A property in nearby Mairangi Bay was damaged after a tree fell, smashing the top balcony. The elderly couple living at the damaged Honeysuckle Lane house were trapped inside.
A couple were trapped in their Mairangi Bay house. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel
In Northland, Paihia Waterfront building manager John McCaw said waves crashing onto the road meant residents and guests weren't able to leave. He had sand-bagged the basement entrance to keep sea water out.
"It's just to stop the momentum of the water and just halt it, and divert it into the drainage system," McCaw said.
About 18,000 properties were without power in Northland on Wednesday night, and Northpower's Michael Gibbs told Midday Report thousands would be in the same situation on Thursday night, as crews planned work for the rest of the week.
"We are repairing what we can today, safety allowing," he said. "Then, we'll work overnight to plan those repairs and then mobilise more crews in the morning, so we expect to have the majority of repairs carried out tomorrow, with remaining areas being repaired over the next 2-3 days."
Gibbs said most of the problems had been caused by falling trees.
"We have got widespread damage across our network," he said. "It's not really concentrated on one area, so it is hard to say one area will be longer - it's really dependent on the damage."
Much of Northland experienced power outages. Photo: Northpower / Screenshot
With ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam moving toward Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and the north of the South Island on Friday, large parts of the country are in for a wet and windy long Easter Weekend.
MetService said the storm will be move down the North Island and to the east.
Intern meteorologist Devlin Linden said weather was easing, as the storm moves away from the upper North Island, and was expected to shift toward East Cape over the next few days.
