STORMS BATTER NEW ZEALAND

[tropicana]

Postie missing as violent storm batters lower North Island

WED AUG 18th 2004
1.15pm
UPDATE - A search has been mounted for a Wairarapa woman postie who has been missing since early today in atrocious weather.

Masterton police Senior Sergeant Warwick Burr said rural post worker Erlinda Warrington left her Bideford home, about 40km northeast of Masterton, at 5.30am for the 30 minute drive to the main town.

The 46-year-old has not been seen since and police were "definitely" concerned, Mr Burr said.

While winds had averaged 100km/h at coastal Castlepoint the weather had been calmer inland and a helicopter had been brough in to search for Ms Warrington.

Police had also searched all accessible roads between Masterton and Bideford and called on farmers to check their properties.


A crew member on freight ferry Kent has a broken leg after a rough crossing of the wind-lashed Cook Strait overnight.

Wellington harbourmaster Mike Pryce said the crew member was taken to hospital after the Strait Shipping vessel berthed with the aid of a tug shortly after midnight.

Captain Pryce said swells of up to 14.5 metres were recorded at Baring Head overnight, with 5m at the harbour entrance.

The CentrePort tug boat Kupe was later called in to assist the Kent after the vessel began breaking its mooring lines at Glasgow Wharf.

He said the cargo ship Tasman Pathfinder, which was due at 9.30am today, had been instructed not to enter port because of the conditions, and because a pilot would be unable to board.

That situation would be reviewed at 4.30pm.

Capt Pryce said four boats had also broken away from their moorings in Porirua Harbour in the high winds, and were now aground.

Air New Zealand has cancelled flights in and out of Wellington Airport until at least 2pm.

Air New Zealand corporate communications manager Mike Tod said 104 flights had been cancelled so far today, affecting an estimated 5500 passengers.

These included Air New Zealand's "main trunk" flights as well as regional links -- Mt Cook Airlines, Air Nelson and Eagle Air.

Mr Tod said as well as the winds being too strong for planes to take off and land, it was too dangerous for baggage handlers to work.

This also meant Qantas flights were grounded, as the Australian carrier used Air New Zealand baggage handlers.

Homes are being evacuated after several properties in Porirua, Lower Hutt and the Wairarapa were flooded during today's storm which wreaked havoc across the lower North Island.

Porirua police Senior Sergeant Derek Chapman said two homes in Porirua East were evacuated this morning after heavy rain caused flooding. He did not know if more evacuations were likely.

Two houses in Carterton and four houses in southern Wairarapa were being prepared for evacuation and some evacuations in Lower Hutt were under way, a Wellington Regional Council spokeswoman said.

MetService forecaster Marie Grey earlier said a "decent amount" of rain had fallen with 60mm recorded for the Wairarapa, 130mm for Orongorongo range, and 110mm for the Wainui catchment -- in the Hutt Valley.

Flood warnings are in place for four eastern Wairarapa Rivers.

Manawatu regional council Horizons is monitoring the Makino and Mangaone streams after more than 30cm of rain fell in the past 24 hours.

Horizons and Manawatu District Council staff are in the area and the police, fire service and army are on standby.

River levels are high and there are unconfirmed reports of some areas where floodwaters are at the tops of stopanks.

Greater Wellington Regional Council Wairarapa flood co-ordination manager Steve Blakemore said up to 100mm of rain fell in eastern Wairarapa hill country over the past 12 hours.

Flood warnings were issued for the Whareama, Tinui, Huangaroa and Lower Ruamahanga rivers.

Extensive surface flooding causing some problems in the Wairarapa valley and towns.

"Rain has eased off in the valley but rain in the Tararuas is now starting to have an effect on the western rivers," Mr Blakemore said.

"Further rain is expected and snow melt may also be having an impact. We are not yet able to predict when the lower rivers will peak."

He said the Lower Ruamahanga River was still rising and the floodways were expected to operate.

The gale was today compared with the storm that sank the interisland ferry Wahine with the loss of 51 lives in 1968.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said the Wahine storm was more severe with gusts of over 200km/h while today they were reaching 180km/h.

"But it's the same sort of animal," Mr McDavitt told NZPA.

"This one is up there but it's not quite top of the list... It's extreme all right. Atrocious."

He said the low causing the storm was in a similar position on the weather map as the one that caused the 1968 storm.

"This low is between New Zealand and the Chatham Islands area and it's looping around itself and then it's going to be moving off.

"While it does the loop we get the wind and the rain and the snow. Conditions will remain more of the same until the low starts moving away which will be later today."

Mr McDavitt said the storm had behaved as predicted and warnings had been issued days in advance.

Wellington and the Wairarapa bore the brunt of the wild weather with no planes, trains, or ferries operating out of the capital.

Cars also struggled in coastal areas as waves dumped seaweed and debris on roads. Further north heavy snow closed scores of roads cutting off some rural areas.

Slips closed the Paraparaumu and Johnsonville Transmetro lines into the city and waves swamped the Hutt Valley line. All ferry sailings across Cook Strait were cancelled.

The Wairarapa was also under siege with flood warnings in place on several rivers.

MetService forecaster Marie Grey said Wellington was battered by winds up to nearly 180km/h overnight. She said part of Wellington airport had lost its roof -- wind speeds recorded at the airport had averaged 87km/h with gusts up to 115km/h.

In Mt Kaukau, near the city, the average wind blast was 133km/h gusting up to 178km/h. The average wind speed in Cook Strait was 130km/h gusting up to 160km/h.

Severe southerly gales in Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay and Kaikoura had eased by mid-morning -- at the height of the storm the Wairarapa was suffering average wind speeds of 100km/h.

Snow fell to 300m along the Kaikoura coast. Heavy snow warnings had been lifted for the North Island expect for Central Plateau.

A heavy rain warning remained in place for parts of Wellington, Wairarapa, the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges, Taihape and the higher parts of Manawatu and coastal hills and ranges of Hawke's Bay.

Wellington and the outer Marlborough Sounds were still under a strong wind warning with gales about 90km/h gusting up to 140km/h expected to last until later today.

Tranz Metro spokeswoman Helen Keyes said all train lines into Wellington were closed, affecting about 12,000 commuters.

The Johnsonville and Paraparaumu lines were closed by slips and downed trees and power lines. Massive waves had swamped the Hutt line.

Part of the roof of the Koru Lounge at Wellington Airport had been blown off, partially flooding the interior, and a Boeing 737 parked on the tarmac overnight was being inspected for possible damage.

Meanwhile, Interisland Line spokesman Peter Monk said hundreds of people were affected by all ferry sailings being suspended.

The Fire Service was called out to "hundreds" of incidents overnight with roofs blown off, fences down and other widespread damage.

Roads closed in the central and lower North Island included State Highway 1 at Taihape, SH49 between Ohakune and Waiouru SH1 between Rangipo and Taihape, SH47 between National Park and Junction SH41 and SH47, Napier-Taihape Road between Napier and Taihape. The Rimutaka Hill Rd was also closed.

Several roads in the Wairarapa were closed including in Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa. A Wairarapa District Council spokeswoman said the Huangaroa River had flooded over a bridge crossing it.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said power lines and trees were down around the city.

Lines company United Networks said hundreds of people were without power throughout Wellington, mostly because of clashing lines and fallen trees across wires.

Mr MacLean urged motorist to delay travel as many roads were closed or treacherous: Moa Point Road was closed due to huge seas breaking over the southern end of the Wellington Airport runway, Stewart Duff Drive, on the eastern side of the airport, was closed because cladding was being blown off a hangar, the Hutt Rd between Ngaio Gorge Rd and Onslow Rd was closed because of lifting roofing at the Placemakers site, Makara Rd and Ohariu Valley Rd closed by fallen trees and power lines and a road in suburban Khandallah was closed by a slip. Some walking racks were closed.

Mr MacLean said panels had blown off two buildings at Queens Wharf on the waterfront, and windows have been blown in at the former Herd St Post Office Building.

Gale force winds were hammering Marlborough this morning, disrupting the travel plans of hundreds and tearing up properties in the outer Marlborough Sounds.

Ferries have been cancelled, flights affected at Marlborough Airport and up to 150 homes on the east coast south of Ward -- including the Ure River area, Kekerengu and Clarence -- have been without power since 9pm yesterday.

Joe Heberley, who lives on Arapawa Island at the entrance of the Tory Channel, said the weather was "shocking" with 80 knot winds, six metre rolls and a "huge sea running".

He said that kind of weather was seldom seen .

The neighbour's shed had blown down, the Heberley garden was torn up and "we are dripping in salt water".

Mr Heberley said the wind seemed to hit its peak about 4am today. If it continued into the day he doubted buildings would be able to handle the buffeting.

"Everything is rattling and shaking. Let's hope we have had the worst of it."

He said the Marlborough harbourmaster had made the right decision in closing the entrance to Tory Channel last night, saying "nobody should be out there. It would be ridiculous to go out in that".

Marlborough harbourmaster Alex van Wijngaarden said reports from people living at the entrance put the wind speed at 80 knots and the conditions were the worst they had seen.

This was only the third time he had closed the entrance in 10 years, he said.

"This is an absolutely unusual event."

Tory Channel was only closed during the hours of darkness, as it was difficult for a ship's master to make a call about sea height, but it would be unlikely anything would move through today.

Mr van Wijngaarden said he would continue to monitor conditions in Cook Strait before making a decision about whether to close the Tory Channel entrance tonight.

Winds gusting up to 120km/h battered Hawke's Bay overnight, toppling trees, ripping roofing iron from houses and closing roads.

Unison linesmen worked through the night in freezing, wet conditions to restore electricity to more than 300 homes around Sherenden after branches fell onto lines. Company spokesman Bill Hewitt said at times the 24 workers had difficulty staying on their ladders because of the wind.

Power was restored by 3.30am although some residents in Takapau were still without power this morning after a line was felled.

Snow forecast to 300m closed the Napier- Taupo highway from 11.30pm until 6am and Transit New Zealand's Hawke's Bay manager Neville Harkness said graders working overnight on the road were called in to tow out trucks caught in the blizzard.

The Napier-Taihape Rd remained closed from the Kaweka Camp as snow continued to fall on the ranges.

Farmers would not know the full extent of lamb losses until the weather cleared, but expected them to be high after days of bitter southerly rain.

Patoka farmer Jackie Paterson had lost about 100 lambs from their stud flock.

"Everything born in the last three days is gone," she said.

Conditions in Hawke's Bay had eased this morning as the region lay in the shelter of the low, but could pick up again with gale force winds gusting up to 80km/h at times.

- NZPA

[donsutherland1]

Snow closes North Island roads, disrupts ferry services

17.08.2004
10.10am

As the South Island came to grips with the weekend blizzards, snow, severe gale strength winds and freezing temperatures lashed the North Island this morning.

MetService spokesman Ramon Oosterkamp said winds of 60-70km/h were battering Wellington and Wairarapa with gusts up to 100km/h.

Swells in the Cook Strait as high as 7m affected ferry sailings and snow closed the Desert Road and the Rimutaka Hill road linking Wellington and the Wairarapa.

Toll spokesman Peter Monk said the Lynx fast ferry which turned back to Picton yesterday because of high seas was still stranded there today and the 6am Interisland ferry Awatere's departure from Wellington had been delayed.

The bad weather is expected to stick around until the weekend.

"This sort of weather is likely to hang around until Friday, so we're stuck until then."

Dunedin and Christchurch airports affected by the blizzard over the weekend were operating normally today.

Most roads in the south were open after Dunedin was virtually cut off yesterday.

For the complete story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay. ... on=general

[tropicana]

Icy blast returns

Monday August 23rd 2004
11.45am

New Zealanders can expect another cold week as a new southerly blast bites, just one week after a blizzard which left one person dead.

Heavy snow overnight closed the main northern highway out of Dunedin, State Highway 1 to Waikouaiti, this morning and the SH94 between Te Anau and Milford.

A general warning was issued for the whole lower South Island because of snow.

Dunedin's Three Mile Road was closed and Transit warned motorists in the city to leave their cars at home.

MetService forecaster Marylin Avery said the South Island could expect more snow and wind but not on the scale of last week's blizzard which killed Wairarapa postie Erlinda Warrington.

"It's not as bad as we had last week. There's a cold southerly with a low out to the east but the winds aren't as strong and the snow showers are pretty scattered," Ms Avery said.

Cold southerlies, the odd shower and crispy temperatures were expected for the south much of the week.

The cold southerly would flow over the whole country bringing snow to low levels.

About 70 homes around Taihape have been without power since last Wednesday.

Powerco's central and lower North Island networks were hit by heavy snow and severe winds in the storm. The high country around Taihape was hardest hit.

Powerco spokesman Charles Kaka said getting everyone back on was "slow work".

"For example we've got to put up 15 power poles and restring the lines across 15 power poles to get one customer on."

Generators would be brought in to affected homes today but it was hoped power would be restored to all homes by tonight.

A Porirua family who struggled without power for several days were reconnected at the weekend, a Vector spokeswoman said.

The family of Manasa Rayasi, 68, his wife, Temalesi, 74, their daughter Bela, as well as three cousins, including Wellington rugby player Sireli Bobo, had been without hot water, heating or light since Wednesday.

They slept in one room to keep warm and Mrs Rayasi developed a chest infection due to the power cut.

Traffic conditions in the south remained treacherous this morning with the closure of two more roads.

SH93 between Clinton and Mataura and SH87 between Outram and Middlemarch were closed by snow, Transit said.

-justin-