Thousands of homes are without power across New Zealand’s North Island as flooding, landslides and gale-forced winds bring chaos.
Rotorua, known for its hot springs, Hawke’s Bay on the east coast and the Taranaki region on the west coast are the worst affected areas as townships remain stranded and schools are closed.
The Met Service this afternoon issued strong wind warnings for the capital Wellington, the nation’s biggest city of Auckland where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was preparing to give birth, and the provincial cities of Hamilton and Christchurch on the South Island.
Thousands of homes are without power across New Zealand’s North Island as flooding and gale-forced winds bring chaos
![State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Opotiki was closed on Tuesday as the township of Te Karaka was cut off](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/07/4D26530600000578-5833647-image-a-10_1528785607937.jpg)
State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Opotiki was closed on Tuesday as the township of Te Karaka was cut off
State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Opotiki was closed on Tuesday as the township of Te Karaka was cut off.
A subtropical low moved across the Gisborne Ranges on the east coast on Tuesday morning, after the area was deluged with 130mm of rain overnight.
Townships in the region were preparing for more thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon.
Gisborne firemen responded to dozens of overnight calls related to storm damage.
Heavy rain warnings remained in place for other areas of the North Island, including the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, the Kaimai Ranges, the Tararua Ranges, and the Kaikōura Ranges.
![New Zealand's Ministry of Education has confirmed 15 schools on the North Island had been closed because of the bad weather (a flooded stadium at Napier on the east coast pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/08/4D266E2100000578-5833647-image-a-29_1528787339891.jpg)
New Zealand’s Ministry of Education has confirmed 15 schools on the North Island had been closed because of the bad weather (a flooded stadium at Napier on the east coast pictured)
![Townships across the North Island of New Zealand were preparing for more thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon as highways were destroyed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/08/4D26738100000578-5833647-image-a-26_1528787070789.jpg)
Townships across the North Island of New Zealand were preparing for more thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon as highways were destroyed
![The Met Service this afternoon issued strong wind warnings for the capital Wellington, and Auckland where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is preparing to give birth](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/07/4D2665CD00000578-5833647-image-a-19_1528785743223.jpg)
The Met Service this afternoon issued strong wind warnings for the capital Wellington, and Auckland where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is preparing to give birth
![New Zealand's key population centres of Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch were bracing for more bad weather](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/08/4D26866500000578-5833647-image-a-27_1528787155531.jpg)
New Zealand’s key population centres of Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch were bracing for more bad weather
The Eastland Group, which runs electricity transmission across the North Island, said 771 homes remained without power on Tuesday afternoon.
‘We’re asking people to prepare to be without power overnight,’ it said in a statement.
‘Our crews are doing everything they can do to get power back on and will work late into the night.
‘But floods, fallen trees and other issues mean they simply can’t access some areas.’
New Zealand’s Ministry of Education has confirmed 15 schools on the North Island had been closed because of the bad weather.
Air New Zealand also warned of flight cancellations as a result of the bad weather.
‘Adverse weather conditions in the North Island may cause disruptions to our services today,’ it tweeted.
![New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is monitoring the bad weather as she prepares to give birth to her first child](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/08/4D2678A600000578-5833647-image-a-28_1528787212222.jpg)
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is monitoring the bad weather as she prepares to give birth to her first child
![New Zealand's Ministry of Education has confirmed 15 schools on the North Island had been closed because of the bad weather](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/07/4D266A9900000578-5833647-image-a-18_1528785688381.jpg)
New Zealand’s Ministry of Education has confirmed 15 schools on the North Island had been closed because of the bad weather
![The Eastland Group, which runs electricity transmission across the North Island, said 771 homes remained without power on Tuesday afternoon, including in the Gisborne area (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/07/4D26530100000578-5833647-image-a-20_1528785805940.jpg)
The Eastland Group, which runs electricity transmission across the North Island, said 771 homes remained without power on Tuesday afternoon, including in the Gisborne area (pictured)
![New Zealand's Met Service issued severe warning warnings for the capital Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, as bad weather hit the North Island](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/07/4D266A9500000578-5833647-image-a-21_1528786104408.jpg)
New Zealand’s Met Service issued severe warning warnings for the capital Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand’s biggest city, as bad weather hit the North Island
![Air New Zealand also warned of flight cancellations as a result of the bad weather](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/07/4D266A9000000578-5833647-image-a-22_1528786188233.jpg)
Air New Zealand also warned of flight cancellations as a result of the bad weather