Cyclone Gabrielle's impact in the Thames Coromandel region's being described as carnage.
District Council Chief Executive, Aileen Lawrie told Mike Hosking there are widespread power outages to about a third of the district.
She says there are also mass road closures, with unconfirmed slips on those still open.
There are also wide-spread power outages in the Bay of Plenty, with Civil Defence warning it will take some time until repairs can be safely made.
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