Severe Gales Disrupt Northland, Leaving Hundreds Without Power

Northland has been left reeling after a night of fierce gales that uprooted trees, toppled powerlines, and even lifted the roof off a home. The storm, which struck overnight, has left hundreds of residents in the dark, with power outages still affecting nearly 500 properties as of Friday morning.

At the height of the storm, more than 8,000 customers were without power. However, Northpower, the local electricity provider, has made significant progress in restoring services, with most outages now concentrated in Tinopai, a coastal settlement on the Kaipara Harbour. The company has stated its goal is to fully restore power by the end of the day, aided by a helicopter that will assist crews in identifying fault locations.

Michael Gibbs, Northpower’s chief operating officer, said that the current calm weather is a positive sign for recovery efforts. “We are looking at nice, calm weather at the moment, so hopefully we can get out there and get it all fixed,” he told Morning Report.

Meanwhile, Top Energy reported that approximately 140 properties in the Far North remain without power due to the high winds. Fire and Emergency services responded to 11 weather-related calls in Northland before midnight, highlighting the widespread impact of the storm.

Local resident Brigid Roberts shared a heartwarming story of community spirit after encountering a fallen tree on State Highway 15. She described how a group of passers-by came together to clear the road in just 15 minutes. “Someone dragged the tree off the road using an empty logging truck... a guy pulled out his chainsaw, chopped it up, and then another guy backed his digger off the back of his truck and cleared the bits off the road,” she said.

The MetService has forecast more settled weather for the remainder of the day, offering hope that recovery efforts will continue smoothly. As the region begins to recover from the storm, the resilience of the community shines through, with locals stepping up to support one another in times of crisis.

Residents and officials alike are now focused on restoration and preparedness for future weather events, with the hope that Northland can bounce back stronger after this latest challenge.