Power still out for 5000 homes across Auckland

April 14, 2018

Vector are still trying connect power for many Aucklanders cut off after Tuesday's fierce storm. (Source: Other)

Thousands of Aucklanders face a dismal weekend without power, some using using bottled water and portable toilets, days after Tuesday night's huge storm.

Metservice has had a severe thunderstorm and weather watch in place for the Auckland region from last night and it still applies today.

About 5,000 properties are still without power going into the weekend, down from 180,000 at the height of the storm on Tuesday night.

Lines company Vector says work to repair individual faults, which includes the restoration of some hot water pilot lights, will continue over the weekend, but will take "well into next week".

Auckland Civil Defence is delivering around 7,000 litres of water to people without access to it.

It has arranged for 1,200 1.5 litre bottles of water to be taken to both Piha and Karekare on Auckland's west coast to help people who've been without it since the storm hit. 

Anyone in Piha who's unable to get water by other means can go and pick up bottled water from the Piha Fire Station. 

Civil Defence has also delivered portables toilets to 35 affected households and says public toilets or portaloos are available at most west coast beaches.

Personnel will be working in isolated communities over the weekend to check on vulnerable people and distribute information, says Civil Defence Director John Dragicevich.

Auckland Council libraries are opening as normal today and Civil Defence says people without power can go to libraries and get warm and charge their phones.

All Auckland Council leisure centres and YMCAs are offering a hot shower for free, and somewhere to get warm and have a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Auckland Council contractors will be working around the clock to make roads safe and deal with fallen trees across the region, prioritising jobs that pose immediate safety issues.

Trees will be put on berms and mulched at a later date, so contractors can move on to higher priority jobs, but trees may take weeks to clear, the council says.

And just when you thought the bad weather was all over, another front is forecast to move across the region on Monday afternoon and is likely to bring gale force winds and some heavy rain.

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