Wind gusts topple trees, lift roofs, and cut electricity supply in Taranaki – Stuff.co.nz

Strong winds in New Plymouth toppled trees across roads, tossed trampolines through the air and ripped roofing iron from buildings on Tuesday.

The gusting southerlies also cut the electricity supply to many Taranaki towns but service was expected to be restored by late afternoon, Powerco's website said.

Traffic ground to a halt on roads around New Plymouth as trees came crashing down across the lanes.

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Strong winds whipped up white caps on the Tasman Sea off the coast of New Plymouth on Tuesday.

Firefighters were kept busy attending multiple call-outs around the city, including uprooted trees, securing loose roofing iron and assisting with trampolines and outdoor furniture that had become airborne.

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New Plymouth district councillor and journalist Gordon Brown was conducting an interview at a business on Connett Rd, Bell Block, about 10.20am when the gale force winds tore the roof off a nearby building.

There was this almighty noise, so I just turned around and the roof was being peeled back like a can of sardines, Brown said.

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Strong winds have caused damage across the Taranaki region on Tuesday.

It was pretty spectacular. I have never seen anything like it.

Senior station officer Jason Crowe, of New Plymouth fire brigade, said the first calls came in about 9am and continued through the day.

It has been a busy day, Crowe said.

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New Plymouth district councillor Gordon Brown witnessed the wind tear off a large piece of roof from the Toll building in Bell Block on Tuesday.

The hefty work load required an additional off-duty crew to be called in and the assistance from the New Plymouth West volunteer brigade.

By 2.45pm there had been 22 call-outs, Crowe said.

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Firefighters work to secure loose roofing on the gym at New Plymouths Spotswood College as strong winds battered Taranaki on Tuesday.

It has been to a mix of everything from loose roofing iron at commercial and residential properties, to fallen trees, and flying trampolines, as well as having to deal with our usual jobs such as alarm activations, medical incidents and motor vehicle accidents.

Crowe said a car had been significantly damaged when a tree fell on it in Brooklands.

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A trampoline was blown into some bushes on South Road, State Highway 45, on Tuesday afternoon.

Firefighters also had to secure the roof on the gym at Spotswood College and the flashing on another building at the school.

Theere was also a afternoon callout to The Warehouse on Courtney St in New Plymouth where a large piece of roof flashing had come loose.

With the strong winds forecast to continue, Crowe advised property owners to check around their sections and secure any loose items like outdoor furniture and trampolines to avoid them becoming flying projectiles.

At 7.15pm, senior station officer Nick Hackling said they had attended a job on Cook St helping remove a solar hot water system, damaged by the wind, from the roof, as well as helping a couple of neighbours on Hine St with lifting roofs.

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Contractors have been working to clear a tree that blocked the southbound lane of SH3, Welbourn, around 6.50am on Tuesday.

Police were first called to State Highway 3, Welbourn, just outside the city, around 6.50am after a fallen tree partially blocked the southbound lane.

Traffic heading out of New Plymouth was redirected past Highlands Intermediate and down Junction St while northbound traffic was flowing at a reduced speed of 30 kilometres per hour.

Contractors worked with a digger and wood chipper to clear the debris.

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A tree also came down at the intersection of Frankley Rd and Waimea St around 7.45am.

Officers were also alerted to a tree blocking the westbound lane at the intersection of Frankley Rd and Waimea St, Frankleigh Park, around 7.45am.

Another tree fell at the intersection of SH3 and Smart Road, Waiwhakaiho, around 11.30am, causing traffic to back up as contractors worked to clear it.

Around midday, the two northbound lanes of State Highway 3, Burgess Park, were blocked by another falling tree and police had to direct traffic at the scene while it was cleared.

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High winds saw yet another tree fall on a New Plymouth road the second on SH3, near Burgess Park, within hours.

The winds also saw the area around New Plymouths clock tower closed off for public safety as the gusts had shaken one of the window fittings loose, a New Plymouth District Council media spokesman said.

In the evening, Hackling said they were called to assist with the glass in the clock tower, but had to be careful with their staff using ladders in the high winds.

Power was cut to 30 properties in Rhotu about 4.40am but had been restored by mid-afternoon, while 374 properties in Warea were also without electricity after the supply was cut at 11.54am but it was expected to be restored by 4.54pm.

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The winds shook one of the clock towers window fittings loose.

At 7pm in New Plymouth, 1792 properties were without power in Westown with a scattering of other outages in the district.

Earlier in the day, 217 properties in Okato were without electricity, but was later restored.

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The Wind Wand bends in Tuesday's wind.

Metservice issued a severe weather warning for Taranaki on Monday forecasting southerly gales between 9am-9pm on Tuesday.

Gusts were expected to reach 120kmh in exposed places, and that the strongest winds were expected north of Taranaki Maunga.

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Wind gusts topple trees, lift roofs, and cut electricity supply in Taranaki - Stuff.co.nz