Cyclone Lusi has hit New Zealand with heavy rain and strong winds uprooting trees and blocking roads in the North of the country. Northland has born the brunt of the tropical cyclone so far, with 100mm of rain expected to pelt the area on Saturday. Police are warning motorists to drive with caution on Northlands roads, particularly on State Highway 14 between Whangarei and Dargaville. As a result of rain and strong wind, there are a number of trees down across roads, police said. Many roads are scattered with debris and caution is needed. A severe weather warning has been issued for most of the North Island and the upper South Island. Lusi is expected to move south on Saturday, bringing 120 to 150mm of rain to the Coromandel Peninsula and western Bay of Plenty over the next 24 hours. Residents in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay are expected to see similar rainfalls. Metservice says Northland and Auckland will also be belted by 120km/h winds. The heavy rain is likely to cause slips and surface flooding, and the severe easterly gales could make driving hazardous, lift roofs, and bring down trees and powerlines, Metservice says. People are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution, and to stay up to date with the latest forecasts, Warnings and Watches. Lusi killed three people as it passed over Vanuatu but is not expected to be as destructive as it moves over New Zealand. Cyclone Lusi is expected to transition into a sub-tropical weather system as it approaches New Zealand, but it is still expected to be a dangerous storm, a Civil Defence spokesperson said. Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management spokesman Graeme MacDonald said while officials were watching Lusi closely, the forecast rain is not unusual for the area at this time of year. Both locals and frequent visitors to our region are familiar with the spots that regularly flood and/or slip during heavy rain events and usually take such things in their stride, he said. Northland council is advising residents to secure belongings and keep up to date with weather forecasts. Further south, Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel says the council has been working all week to prepare for the storm. Lusi is expected to pass over Canterbury on Sunday with Metservice forecasting significant rain. This is a situation where if we prepare for the worst case scenario, we will be ready for what may come. Id much rather we put too many precautions in place than not enough, Ms Dalziel said. Just last week, Christchurch was hit by a one-in-100-year storm, which caused extensive flooding and road closures. Lusi is expected to move to the east on Monday and weaken, however another front is forecast to move over the south of the country, Metservice says. NZN #MC-INSECURE
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 22:49:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015