Northland, Auckland, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty are expected to be the first parts of the country to feel the effects of tropical cyclone Lusi.
The cyclone has already swept through Vanuatu, killing three people, and there are reports of another six missing. The Daily Post said Lusi destroyed a tiny village of 60 people in Santo, leaving three mothers and three children missing, while four men are seriously injured.
The Pacific island's Disaster Management Office said the death toll could rise as it establishes the full extent of damage. Director Shadrack Welegtabit told Radio New Zealand International almost half of Vanuatu's population had been affected across five provinces including Efate, where the capital Port Vila is located.
Lusi weakened slightly overnight on Thursday to become a category two storm on a five-category scale. MetService is forecasting severe gales and heavy rain for many areas of New Zealand from Friday evening with Northland, Auckland and Canterbury expected to be hardest hit.
By 5.30pm on Friday, Lusi was making itself felt in the Far North but no serious problems have been reported. The Fire Service's northern communications shift manager, Jaron Phillips, said some powerlines fell across a road in Kaeo and in Horeke, and tree fell over a road in Parahaki.
The storm is forecast to bring 100 millimetres of rain and winds of up to 130km/h across the top of the North Island on Friday night.
Civil Defence said people need to make sure that emergency kits are up to date and check drains and gutters to ensure water will run freely. Residents are advised to continue to listen to radio stations for local weather forecasts and updates, and to also take note of any warnings that are issued.
Northland Civil Defence manager Graham Macdonald said the response will concentrate on the east coast, which generally bears the brunt of ex-tropical cyclones.
"We do have in place a number of community response plans ... with communities along that coast to make sure they have a good level of readiness."
The storm could provide the first real test of $700,000 flood protection works in the Northland town of Kaeo, due to be completed in the next fortnight. Kaeo has been regularly flooded in the past, but Northland Regional Council rivers manager Bruce Howse said the system of stopbanks and spillways should move floodwaters away from the town.
Thames Valley Civil Defence said its greatest times of risk will be at high tides, which occur between 6am and 7am, and again between 6pm and 7pm.
Auckland was being warned to prepare for flooding, slips, road closures, and power and phone outages. Civil Defence emergency manager Clive Manley said roading contractors had been clearing drains and power companies had been removing trees and branches that could affect power lines.
High swells may cause significant erosion along the east coast communities in the north of the city, and the eastern side of Great Barrier Island. Mr Manley said the two hours either side of high tide on Saturday are likely to cause the most problems, with the evening tide bringing the most risk.
Power supplier Vector's modelling indicates easterly winds will dominate first, which are likely to affect Warkworth, Waiheke and Rodney. On Saturday night the winds are predicted to swing to the north west, affecting remote coastal areas such as Piha and Muriwai.
The Waitakere and Hunua ranges are expected to to receive the highest rainfall, which could cause slips.
Army on standby
In Christchurch, preparations were underway to help residents still cleaning up after last week's severe floods.
Stormwater and drainage systems had been checked ahead of the possible deluge, 22,000 sandbags would be made available in areas that are a known flood risk, and the army was on standby from midday on Friday, mayor Lianne Dalziel said.
Ms Dalziel said emergency responses were being put in place in a bid to prevent a repeat of last week's flooding. Emergency services, Civil Defence and welfare representatives were meeting at the council at midday on Friday to finalise the city's response plan.
The Christchurch City Council is opening welfare centres in South New Brighton, Woolston and Mairehau on Friday.
Severe gales, heavy rain
NIWA meteorologist Richard Turner is tracking the cyclone and said it will still be very powerful when it reaches northern New Zealand.
Dr Turner told Radio New Zealand's Nine to Noon programme it would be similar to storms experienced in Canterbury and Wellington last year that caused power cuts and felled trees, and there is potential for surface flooding in Christchurch and areas affected by drought.
MetService meteorologist Dan Corbett said heavy tropical rain was expected to fall over Northland, Auckland and Coromandal over a period of 20 hours and could cause problems in an area that hasn't seen a lot of rain recently.
Christchurch could expect heavy and persistent rain on Saturday night afternoon and Sunday. "Parts of Canterbury and Christchurch could see maybe 20 to perhaps 50 millimetres of rain. That's already on top of very sodden ground, so you don't need much to potentially cause problems."
There is also a heavy rain warning out for the Kaikoura ranges.
WOMAD festival begins, some events scuppered
Some 15,000 people are expected to attend this weekend's WOMAD music festival in New Plymouth, whose organisers are preparing to allow an expected 3000 campers to stay in a nearby sports stadium if the storm hits on Saturday evening.
The head of the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, Suzanne Porter, said building inspectors have gone over the six stages and wind monitors have been attached. The gates to Pukekura Park opened at 4.30pm and the first act started at 6pm.
Other events have been cancelled or postponed. They are:
- People's Triathlon Series, Maraetai Beach, Auckland has been postponed until Sunday 30 March.
- Outward Bound 3km Fun Run in Whangarei, Saturday 15 March has been cancelled.
- Celtic Day at Silo Park in Auckland due to take place on Saturday 15 March has been cancelled.
- Cruise the Bays, Mission Bay, Auckland has been moved to Friday 21 March.
- Salty Classic fishing competition in the Coromandel Peninsula has been cancelled
Auckland beaches at risk
Auckland Civil Defence says the region's north-east beaches are likely to bear the brunt of the bad weather on Saturday. Controller Clive Manley says the two hours either side of high tide are likely to cause the most problems. The high tides are at 7.29am and 7.56pm, and the evening tide will bring the most risk.
The areas likely to be affected are:
- At high risk of coastal erosion (ie, properties that are very close to the beach may be affected) from 2pm to 10pm Saturday: Omaha, Snells Beach, Algies Bay, Waiwera, Hatfields Beach, Orewa and Red Beach.
- At moderate risk of coastal erosion from 2pm to 10pm Saturday: Stanmore Bay, Big Manly, Tindalls Beach, Matakatia Bay, Arkles Bay, Long Bay, Waiake, Browns Bay, Murrays/Mairangi Bay, Campbells Bay, Castor Bay, Milford Beach, Takapuna Beach, Cheltenham, Narrow Neck and Claris.
- At moderate risk of beach erosion (ie, the beach could be eroded) from 7am to 11am Saturday: Omaha, Snells Beach, Algies Bay, Waiwera, Hatfields Beach, Orewa, Red Beach and Claris.
