Current Damage & Impact Reports

1. Infrastructure & Utilities

• Power Outages: Over 17,800 customers are currently without power across the PowerCo network, primarily in the Manawatū-Whanganui and Wairarapa regions.

   

• Wellington Wind Damage: An "extremely unusual" gust of 193 km/h was recorded in Wellington overnight. The City Council has received over 50 calls regarding fallen trees blocking major roads (notably Glenmore Street and Middleton Road).

   

• Sewage Discharge: Due to heavy rain, untreated sewage has been discharged via the Moa Point outfall. Residents are warned to stay off South Coast beaches.

   

2. Transport Disruptions

• Aviation: Air New Zealand has paused all flights in and out of Wellington, Napier, and Palmerston North as of 8:00 AM.

• Rail: Metlink has cancelled all Wellington train services until at least 10:00 AM to inspect tracks for debris and damage to overhead power lines.

• Roads: Multiple sections of State Highway 1 are closed. In the Waikato and Waipā regions, significant flooding and slips have made several local roads impassable. 

• Ferries: All Cook Strait ferry crossings (Interislander and Bluebridge) remain cancelled for the day due to swells forecast to reach 7–8 meters.

   

3. Regional States of Emergency

Local States of Emergency are currently active for the following districts:

• Manawatū

• Rangitīkei 

• Tararua 

• Waipā 

• Ōtorohanga

   

Safety Warnings for the Next 4 Hours

• Red Heavy Rain Warning: Remains in place for Manawatū, Rangitīkei, and Ruapehu (north of Feilding/east of SH1) until 3:00 PM today. 

• Coastal Inundation: High tide (approx. 4:30 AM – 5:30 AM) has passed, but large waves (6m+) continue to pose a risk of coastal flooding and debris on roads along the Wellington South Coast and Wairarapa.

• Falling Debris: The public is urged to avoid forested areas, such as Wellington’s Town Belt, due to the high risk of falling branches and trees. 

Note: The storm's death toll was confirmed at one earlier this morning following a tragedy in the Waikato region involving a vehicle submerged in floodwaters.

Source - Gemini Query (AI)