A plane has been struck by lightning on the tarmac at Auckland Airport as wild weather hits the city.
Long queues are also building at the airport's domestic terminal after a fire alarm sensor went off and triggered an evacuation late this afternoon.
a plane was also struck by lightning on the tarmac amid thunderstorms in the city. (Source: 1News)
The evacuation happened amid wild weather across Auckland — with a red thunderstorm warning issued for parts of the city.
Q+A host Jack Tame was boarding an Air New Zealand flight to Christchurch when he heard a "massive explosion" at about 4pm.
"People in the terminal rushed to the window to see what had caused it," he said.
The 1News presenter said his flight's pilot later told passengers that lightning had struck the aircraft. The plane was later deboarded as checks needed to be performed.
In what appears to be a separate incident, the airport's domestic terminal was then evacuated for about an hour. Tame was allowed back into the terminal at about 5.40pm.
He said there were "huge queues" as people looked to re-find their flights.
The domestic terminal was evacuated for a short period of time while a fire crew investigated after a fire alarm sensor went off. "No issues have been identified and travellers are welcome back into the terminal," the airport said in a tweet.
Photos and videos sent to 1News showed large crowds of people standing in the airport's parking terminal, and outdoors under awnings.
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