21 Sep 2010

Power due back after high winds

9:51 pm on 21 September 2010

Lines company Powerco says power is due to be restored to customers late on Tuesday evening after a day of high winds which wrought havoc on the central North Island.

Powerco says 73,000 people have lost power since the storm began last Friday, affecting customers in Coromandel, the Western Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and Taranaki, although most have been restored.

By early Tuesday evening, about 5000 customers were still without power, mostly in western Bay of Plenty after severe wind gusts caused more cuts on Tuesday.

Network operations manager Phil Marsh says another front hit the region, along with Taranaki, Coromandel and Wairarapa. Winds of more than 100km/h were reported.

Mr Marsh says there were many faults causing the cuts.

Matapihi, Omanu, Omokoroa, Apata and Te Maunga were worst affected in Bay of Plenty, and Waitotara in Taranaki.