Storms forecast, power restored to Coromandel


Power lines in the Hawkes Bay

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Power line and weather woes look set to continue for parts of the North Island, with work continuing to restore Northland’s supply and storms forecast for some places.

Transpower says the power feed to the whole of the Coromandel Peninsula was cut on Sunday morning, leaving about 27,000 properties without power.

It has since been restored.

A transformer tripped about 8:45am, affecting the feed from the Kopu substation. Frustrated comments from residents awaking to no power flooded Facebook community posts.

Storm warnings or watches have been issued for the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, parts of Taranaki and Waikato, and parts of Tasman.

Weather has been creating problems for power line workers trying to set up a temporary transmission line to Northland, after a pylon fell on Thursday cutting electricity supply to tens of thousands in the region.

The team plan to begin the final phase to get the new line going on Sunday morning, transferring conductor wire onto the new tower.

Workers setting up a temporary transformer to supply power to Northland.

Workers setting up a temporary transformer to supply power to Northland.
Photo: Supplied/ Transpower

Meanwhile, heavy rain watches and warnings are in place for the peninsula and the Bay of Plenty, with MetService forecasters warning thunderstorms and downpours are possible until midnight Sunday.

Parts of Waikato and Taranaki are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 4pm Sunday.

“An intense line of thunderstorms is expected to move slowly east across the north of Taranaki east of New Plymouth and coastal Waitomo,” the forecaster said.

“These storms could bring localised downpours with rainfall rates of 25 to 40 mm per hour. Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding.”

In Tasman, police asked motorists to only venture onto the roads for essential travel only, due to extreme weather, strong winds and heavy rain.

There had been reports of flooding in some places in Tasman, they said, as well as multiple slips on Takaka Hill.



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