Power still out for hundreds across North Island

Hundreds of homes throughout the North Island are still without power after extensive damage caused by storms on Saturday night.

Falling trees damaged powerlines and lightning strikes blew fuses throughout the network.

Powerco, which supplies electricity to the Coromandel, Taranaki and Manawatu-Whanganui, said almost 4000 households lost power last night.

The company had restored electricity to more than 3000 properties but said customers in Wairarapa, Western Bay of Plenty and parts of New Plymouth were still cut off.

Almost 300 homes in Masterton were still without power after a lightning strike last night, and a fallen tree had caused about 150 properties in New Plymouth's Westown and Frankleigh Park to lose power this afternoon.

More than a 100 rural properties dotted around the North Island also remained without power.

A spokesperson for the power lines company Vector said there were outages in Snells Beach and Waimauku in Auckland as a result of Saturday's weather, impacting about 200 customers.

They said crews were onsite and all customers were expected to have their power back on later today.

In Hamilton, 600 properties were without power early on Sunday.

Strong wind watches that MetService had in place for Taupō, Taihape, inland Hastings District and Central Hawke's Bay District earlier today are no longer in force, however a strong wind watch remains in place for Fiordland and Southland, including Stewart Island, until 9pm.

A heavy rain watch for Fiordland is also due to take effect from 5pm and into the early hours of Monday.