MetService has sent two emergency alerts within 15 minutes to Aucklanders, warning of thunderstorms across the city.
The second emergency alert said: “These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain.
“As the storm approaches you should; take shelter, avoid sheltering under trees, get back to land, if outdoors on the water, move cars under cover or away from trees. be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.”
The warnings, just after 2pm — covering the entire region from Auckland City, Waitakere, Franklin, Rodney and Albany — were lifted around 3pm. However, Auckland Emergency Management advised caution across the Auckland region until 6pm tonight.
Auckland Emergency Management general manager Adam Maggs said suburbs across the entire Auckland region from Rodney to Franklin could face further impacts — on top of the thunderstorms that struck throughout the region in the early hours of this morning.
“It has been a particularly intense few days weather-wise for our region and that’s expected to continue throughout the afternoon, which will no doubt disrupt people’s Easter holiday plan,” Maggs said.
“The system that is hitting the region this afternoon is fast moving, and updates are being provided as quickly as possible.
“We strongly encourage people to stay on top of the weather forecast, be prepared for it to change quickly, keep an eye out for any alerts, and to remain vigilant at all times.”
Auckland residents were kept awake last night with sheet lightning and rolling thunder across the city — with some residents and business owners greeted this morning with damage from flooding and wind.
There had already been days of heavy rain and strong winds across the North Island due to ex-Cyclone Tam.
Concerns were voiced on social media earlier today about an apparent delay in notifications from authorities, warning of a wild thunder and lightning storm that lashed Auckland overnight on Friday.
However, Adam Maggs defended the agency’s response.
The storm conditions had unfolded very quickly, Maggs told RNZ: “These types of events can happen very quickly and without warning.”
Auckland Airport said seven flights were diverted away for safety reasons during the Friday night storm.
“The weather may continue to impact flight schedules so our advice to travellers is to keep a close watch for updates from their airline if flying today,” a spokesperson said.
This morning, Mt Albert Little French Cafe owner Benjamin Chevre received a call at 1am from a neighbouring supermarket, letting him know his premises was flooded. Video showed up to 25cm of water inundating the building.
“We already had two floods, so this is the third time now,” he said.
Chevre said his business was shut for six months after the last Auckland floods during Cyclone Gabrielle. However, this time he hoped to be up and running tomorrow.
“The worst damage is trying to see if the infrastructure of the buildings has not been touched, as well as the electric components like fridges… If that doesn’t work, I can’t reopen.
“We’ve got a lot of help from the community — people want to help.”
“[Auckland] Council knows what they have to do… Hopefully this time, they understand it’s a big impact on not just businesses but housing and the community. It needs to be fixed.”
Properties flooded
Mt Roskill resident Syed Shaji was first alerted to the flooding through social media, with water eventually reaching just above the knee on his property.
“Definitely worried [to see flooding again] … We were worried about our neighbours.”
After staying awake until 2.30am this morning due to the thunderstorm, Shaji was out “trying to do my bit” by clearing debris from his property to prevent a blockage if the rain were to come again.
MetService meteorologist Alec Holden told 1News the latest thunderstorms and downpours brought localised flooding right across the Auckland region.
Auckland Emergency Management said 27 people were displaced by the weather event. Shelter was provided for evacuees at the Fickling Convention Centre in Three Kings until 6pm on Saturday when the last of those unable to return home were moved into emergency accommodation.
Aucklanders react to the lightning
Two women said they had never experienced a thunderstorm in their home country, Malaysia, as they saw on Friday night.
“We could hardly walk in a straight line because the winds were so strong.”
“[My housemate and I] were so afraid, we were huddling together. We’re living in a high rise so we can feel the thunderstorm,” one of the women said.
“I needed to wear my headphones and [cover] my eyes with something because… It was so scary.”
Another Auckland resident described seeing a “panel” fly off the roof of a neighbouring building during the heavy winds.
“It was super scary. I live in an apartment on the 14th floor, so there was lots of wind, lightning, and loud sounds,” she said.
However, not everyone was disrupted by the wild weather. One man said he thought it was “pretty cool” as he tried to time a selfie with the flash of lightning.
“I was trying to hit a muscle pose and get the lightning in the background.”
