A fierce southerly storm is continuing to batter Canterbury and hundreds of people face a chilly night without power. Flood-prone houses have been sandbagged and a welfare centre opened for people needing to evacuate their homes.
The MetService said high winds are continuing and expected to reach 140km/h in some places. Lines company Orion said the winds are hampering repair efforts and about 1800 customers mostly in the Banks Peninsula area are likely to be without electricity overnight.
Locals clear a fallen tree off the road on Banks Peninsula. Photo: RNZ
The Christchurch City Council warned the storm would be similar to that of June 2013 and advised residents to prepare their homes.
Surges along New Brighton beach are threatening homes in seaside areas to the east of the city. The council's coastal ranger was assessing the safety of houses late on Tuesday night, particularly along Southshore and Rockinghorse roads which sit on an estuary.
Staff and contractors have closed flooded streets in the worst affected inland areas of St Albans, Mairehau and Richmond to stop vehicles washing floodwater onto properties.
Civil Defence staff are also going door-to-door in the Flockton Basin area advising residents to consider evacuating to protect themselves.
Welfare centre open
A welfare centre has been set up at Mairehau High School from 8.30pm where Civil Defence volunteers are ready to assist any residents in need of shelter and support. Hot drinks will be provided, but residents will need their own bedding.
Warning for Wellington and Wairarapa
People in Wellington and coastal Wairarapa are being warned to expect southwest gales overnight on Tuesday. The MetService says gusts could get up to 120km/h, but should ease on Wednesday morning. People are being advised to make sure boats are securely moored. The Interislander cancelled all ferry sailings on Cook Strait for the rest of the day.
Fire crews flat out
Earlier on Tuesday, gusts reaching 160km/h in exposed places smashed in house and office windows, sent roofs flying and brought down trees and power lines. The Fire Service said it received more than 100 callouts throughout Canterbury.
People in a car hit by a phone pole on Hoon Hay Road on Tuesday morning were pulled out without injury. Crews later freed two people from a car hit by a falling power line in Spencerville Road, in Kainga. Neither occupant was injured.
Damage to the Cass Bay sun room. Photo: RNZ
Roofing iron has come off about 15 homes on Banks Peninsula and in Christchurch city.
A resident in the Banks Peninsula settlement of Cass Bay, Malcolm Hattaway, had to call in firefighters to board up his lounge windows after glass blew through the house.
"There was a big crash and I thought something had come through the window but it was just some glass and stuff from the sunroom that broke the window on that side and blew that window out on the other side.
While a Radio New Zealand reporter was speaking with Mr Hattaway, the roof of the sun room was lifted by the wind and pushed across the main roof of the house.
A council spokesperson said a toppled tree closed Park Terrace and Brittan Terrace in Lyttelton. A detour was put in place.
