Tornado, lightning and flooding cause mayhem around NZ
Wednesday, 6 September 2017
It was an exciting night for lightning strikes across the country, MetService says.
A total of 9500 lightning strikes were recorded nationwide, most over the ocean, but 1500 of them struck over land, MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said
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A tornado also hit the South Island's West Coast, while three houses southeast of Auckland have been hit by lightning.
READ MORE: Tornado rips through town
In the Waitomo and Waikato region 700 bolts of lightning struck the ground.
'That's mainly cloud to ground as well - mainly strikes that were hitting the ground.
'Some people may feel like they saw a lot more and we do get a lot of cloud to cloud lightning that is more frequent than cloud to ground, but it's very difficult to give numbers for those.'
'People may have woken to a bit of a light show over their house.'
McInnes said the active cells of lightning swept south-east from Te Kuiti to Tokoroa, losing the energy as it tracked over land.
'There were a few more mid-way between Manukau harbour and north Waikato where people would have woken to a few booms.'
McInnes said further thunderstorms were expected overnight on Wednesday in the southern Waikato and Waitomo areas down to Taranaki.
'It's looking like there's going to be some good thunderstorms before dawn and that will continue down the west coast.
'We might get a few more sparks tonight.'
He said there was a low risk of associated small tornados before dawn accompanying the thunderstorms, possibly in the Taranaki area.
'UNPRECEDENTED' RAIN
A Waikato council says 'unprecedented' rain has burst river banks and forced the rescue of tourists amid a chaotic morning of weather around NZ.
Te Kuiti fire chief Phil New said two tourists in their 20s were rescued after waking to find their car surrounded by water.
New said the pair parked in the carpark of Ruakuri Reserve in Waitomo for the night when heavy rain caused the river to burst its banks.
They woke to find floodwaters throughout their vehicle, and rising.
'They had parked in the carpark at night and gone to sleep and the river has flooded out there.
'They have woken up to having wet feet, thinking 'what do we do now'.'
Firefighters were able to wade across to the carpark to get the pair out.
They walked with them back out to the top where police picked up the pair and took them back to the local police station.
'They're fine and the tow truck has gone to get their car out.'
'UNPRECEDENTED RAIN'
About 45mm fell in three to four hours in the Waitomo area early on Wednesday, Waitomo District Council reported.
Heavy rain meant rivers around the Te Kuiti and Otorohanga district had risen rapidly, overflowing onto some roads in the area.
'We have had an unprecedented rainfall event during the night,' the council said.
'The Mangaokewa River level rose rapidly during this time from 48.85 metres to 51.25 metres,' the council said on its Facebook page.
Roading contractors have reported slips on the following roads; Manganui, Mangatoa, Mairoa, Oparure, Walker, Ahoroa, TeAnga, Marokopa Rds.
Areas of Tumutumu, Aria and Marokopa Rds are flooded and there is rocks and debris on Mary St and Troopers Rd, council said.
A FIRE AMID THE RAINS
Fire crews were also battling a blaze at the Pureora Forest Park DOC office on Barryville Rd.
The 10 by 10 metre building was engulfed in fire about 4.15am.
DOC communications adviser Herb Christophers said the hut he was 'burnt to the ground'.
'At the initial stage we suspect [the fire] was a result of a lightning strike,' Christophers said.
The 10 property was empty at the time no injuries were reported, he said.
As fire crews from Mangakino responded to the blaze they encountered flooding throughout the south Waikato township, Radden said.
He said there were reports of flooding on Waipapa Rd, Lake Rd and Mitchell Rd.
Waikato police Senior Sergeant Dave Raffan said a section of Otewa Rd in Otorohanga was under water after the nearby Waipa River was flooded.
TORNADO STRIKES
The small tornado hit Awatuna, about 10km north of Hokitika in the Westland district, about 6am.
A police spokeswoman said level crossing signs near the intersection of State Highway 6 and Old Christchurch Rd had been damaged, 'like a car had hit them'.
'A mini tornado has come through the area and blown the road signs and everything else,' she said.
Earlier reports suggested a house had lost its roof near Hokitika due to the strong wind event.
LIGHTNING CUTS POWER
Earlier, Fire Emergency NZ tweeted that three neighbouring homes had been struck by lightning in Kohekohe, southeast of Auckland city, early on Wednesday. Two homes were smoking and water was leaking through the roof of the third.
MetService said there had been 30 lightning strikes on land in the Auckland region.
The storms would give way to showery weather and more thunderstorms would hit later in the day, he said.
Metservice said there had also been a significant number of lightning strikes across the Waikato district as rolling thunderstorms moved across the region from 2am to 4.30am on Wednesday.
A lightning strike triggered the alarm at the Mangakino Telephone Exchange at 4.40am, cutting the town's landline connection.
Active rain bands were expected to move across the country over the next few days.
Meanwhile in the Far North, a slip has closed State Highway 11 between Paihia and Kawakawa.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said the slip was reported about 4.40am on Wednesday.
Motorists where advised to take extra care and expect delays in the area.
NZTA also encouraged morning commuters on Auckland motorways to drive to the conditions as heavy rain sets in across the city.