Update Power restored after lightning in Hawke's Bay cut supply 18:16
Transpower says all power in the Hawke’s Bay has been restored more than two hours after a double lightning strike caused a widespread outage.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9927601/Widespread-power-cut-in-Hawkes-Bay
Power authorities say they are working to restore electricity but Hawke's Bay residents aren't taking any chances, flocking to supermarkets to stock up on emergency supplies.
Emergency generators are whirring into action and the scramble for candles begins as 80,000 customers including the Hawke's Bay regional hospital and traffic lights are affected.
Authorities are warning power could be several hours away for some.
Unison has updated its customers via Facebook, saying it is "steadily restoring power to the region with around 40 per cent of power now restored. Sorry to those who are still in the dark - we are doing our best to get your lights on asap."
In Hastings, shops had closed early and businesses sent workers home amid the power cut that started about 4pm after a double lightning strike to the national grid that has affected the whole district.
Hawke's Bay power provider has advised power has now been restored to parts of Hastings and Havelock North but were warning it could be several hours away for some customers.
Wairoa and Gisborne are also reportedly experiencing a power outage.
One Twitter user tweeted that the power cut was causing delays at Gisborne Airport.
As Transpower scrambles to restore electricity to Hawke's Bay, the Hastings central business district resembles a ghost-town.
Except for Pak 'n Save which has fielded crowds of shoppers who are stacking up trollies full of nappies, water, bread and potato chips.
Inner city worker Vicki Han said she and her clients had been sent home early and she was at the supermarket stocking up although she already had an emergency kit prepared at home.
Ella Hale, 74, was also compiling some emergency resources to wait out the blackout.
She said she had been in town with her whanau when the power cut struck which had diverted them to the supermarket.
She was not worried about dinner without power as she knew how to make sausage and egg pancakes using a large Watties baked ban tin over a fireplace.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
