Wild weather floods roads, cuts power in New Zealand

Thousands of people were without power throughout New Zealand's Northland and Auckland regions as a band of wild wet weather moves down the country on Thurday. The Fire Service has been inundated with calls, starting in Northland earlier on Thursday morning, then moving to Auckland's North Shore and West Auckland as well as the central city. It said high winds are causing the most damage, with many reports of trees down across roads and power lines. About 4000 households are without power in various areas of Auckland, mainly to the north and west of the region, Radio New Zealand reported on Thursday. Around 30 flights in and out of Auckland Airport have been delayed or cancelled because of the weather. Winds have gusted up to 98 km per hour on the Harbour Bridge. The Transport Agency said there have been reports of light flooding on some sections of the motorway network and there is debris on several rural roads in Northland and Auckland. Several slips have been reported in the capital of Wellington after a night of heavy rain. Occupants were forced from two properties in Oriental Bay on Wednesday night because of a mudslide.