Strong winds and heavy rain have caused problems in many places in the North Island and the upper part of the South Island. About 16,000 homes in South Taranaki and Wanganui have no electricity as power poles and lines fell. 600 power lines are down. Some trees fell on roofs or across roads. Shop windows fell out. Roofs flew off some houses.
Wellington also had strong winds of about 120 km per hour. One fire fighter was injured when she was trying to remove a tree from a roof and a branch fell on her.
Some airports were closed. The Cook Strait ferries did not operate. Posties did not deliver mail today in many places because it was too dangerous to be outside.
The bad weather has now moved to eastern parts of the North Island.
Vocabulary
flew – past tense of fly
ferries – ships which travel between the North and South Islands, across Cook Strait. This usually takes about 3 and a half hours if the weather is good.
operate – go, travel
posties – they deliver mail to houses, usually by bicycle