Wild weather started earlier this week in Northland and is continuing. Heavy rain and strong winds are still hitting the area. 60 roads are closed by floods, fallen power lines or fallen trees. Many rivers have flooded and people have had to leave their homes as flood waters are rising. Many people lost electricity 3 or 4 days ago and 1500 houses are still without power. Some people have no heat, light, or hot water. They cannot cook a hot meal, and they are worried about losing food in their freezers. It is especially difficult for dairy farmers who need electricity to milk their cows. Some farmers had to buy a generator to provide the power for their milking machines.
Power companies are trying to fix the problems but the wild weather means that sometimes it is not safe for their workers.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is for more rain. One woman from Dargaville said it had rained every day since the beginning of June. However, this area was suffering from drought earlier this year and in the summer of 2013. Usually Northland has a high rainfall of about 1500 to 2000 mm a year.
The Northland region is north of Auckland. Some of this same wild weather also reached Auckland which is still experiencing heavy rain.