BE PREPARED: SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST

The MetService has issued a severe weather warning as Cyclone Cook bares down on New Zealand. It is expected to make landfall somewhere over the Coromandel Peninsula or western Bay of Plenty late Thursday afternoon or evening and move southwards reaching Wellington in the early hours of Friday morning. On this track, damaging severe gales with gusts of 150 km/h or more are possible, affecting regions from Auckland to Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty, down through the central North Island and into Wellington. Eastern coastal areas of Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty may see large waves of five metres or more, storm surges near the centre of Cyclone Cook, coastal inundation and erosion. The precise track of the cyclone centre may change as the system approaches. People should be aware that this is a very significant event and is likely to produce widespread flooding, slips and wind damage,

VECTOR IS PREPARING

· Our teams are gearing up to deal with any power outages caused by the storm and our objective is to do this as quickly as we can and when it is safe to do. As always, the safety of our teams is paramount and they will be on the job when it is safe to do so. Given the severity of the weather being predicted, this may not always be as soon as we would all like.

· You can keep updated with any power outages in your area via the Vector Outage Manager mobile app, and our website – www.vector.co.nz. Updates will also be available via Vector’s Facebook page.

· If you see any damaged power equipment or power lines down, please keep a safe distance away and report it to us as soon as possible on 0508 832 867

· Vector says the public should be aware of the potential electricity related hazards strong winds and heavy rains can create. Vegetation and debris can blow into lines and can take out power during these kind of weather events.

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO BE PREPARED

· Stay well clear of fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment and treat them as live at all times

· Watch out for falling tree branches as these can cause damage to power lines

· Avoid possible damage to electrical appliances (in the unlikely event there is a power surge when the power is restored) by switching off appliances at the wall

· Keep a torch and spare batteries handy and ensure that you have at least one telephone that does not rely on electricity for operation

· Ensure that an alternate fuel is always available for cooking (e.g. gas for BBQ)

· If you have an electric garage door, prepare how you can gain entry to the garage another way so you have access to your vehicle

· Tie down or move to a sheltered location objects on your property that may be impacted by the predicted gale force winds (ie: trampolines, BBQ’s and BBQ covers)

· Take extreme care if you are driving in the predicted weather and delay trips if possible. Do not drive through floodwaters.

· If you are on tank water please ensure you have plenty of bottled water available

· If life or property is at risk, call 111.

STAY INFORMED OF WEATHER UPDATES

· The MetService website is a good source for weather updates –www.metservice.com

· The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management’s Get Thru Get Ready website has useful information on how to prepare emergency plans and kits www.getthru.govt.nz

You can also follow them on Twitter: @NZGetThru for up-to-the-minute information

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