Fifty properties in Dunedin will be without power until tomorrow as work continues to fix widespread outages caused by Thursday's storm.
Aurora Energy contractors will have restored power to around 150 individual properties by the end of today, Aurora Energy future network and operations general manager Matt Settle said.
However, vegetation-related damage, particularly trees breaking power lines, has slowed progress, and around 50 households would remain without power until tomorrow.
The outages are in Berwick, Mosgiel, Sawyers Bay and Upper Waitati.
“We’ve had 13 crews, including additional support, working since early this morning and they’ll finish up around 6pm this evening, before commencing again tomorrow morning.
"We’re sorry we couldn’t get everyone’s power restored today as we’d hoped to, but the complexity of some of the repairs has presented challenges.”
Aurora staff would attempt to contact customers who will not have their power back on tonight.
“For anyone who does not have their power back after 6pm, please know our crews will be out again tomorrow morning and we expect to have all final repairs made on Sunday.
"If your power remains off and you don't hear from us this evening, please call us on 0800 22 00 05 to report your outage as we may not have a record of it.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the patience and understanding shown by our customers.
The volume of separate fault calls, right from Berwick to the tip of the Otago Peninsula, hasn’t been seen on our Dunedin network before and our crews have been working long hours over the last three days to restore as many customers as possible,” Mr Settle said.
As Dunedin continues to clean up and repair extensive damage from the worst storm in recent history, people are being urged to prepare for "unseasonably low and widespread snow" on Monday.
MetService is forecasting another bout of widespread severe weather on Monday, which could bring snow to "unseasonably low levels" in parts of Otago and Canterbury.
MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino said much of the country could see localised heavy rain, and snow on Monday night may have impacts on travel and put further stress on the electricity grid which is still playing catch-up after this week’s severe weather.
She suggested holidaymakers planning to travel home on Monday should keep a close eye on MetService’s severe weather outlook before setting off, and be prepared to adjust plans.
Meanwhile, Hocken Library staff yesterday described the surreal and terrifying moment a pair of massive trees came down and crashed into the side of the building.
Dunedin City Council Three Waters, property and urban development general manager David Ward said the "wild wind storm" created considerable damage across the city and some repairs could take weeks.
"Our staff and contractors have been going the extra mile since the storm struck, working to clear trees and other debris, and reopen roads as soon as it is safe to do so."
Damage to several DCC properties — including Forsyth Barr Stadium, the Dunedin Railway Station, and Forbury Park — was still being assessed.
The Dunedin Ice Hockey stadium and Badminton Centre in Victoria Rd are both closed after a chunk of the ice stadium’s roof severely damaged the neighbouring Badminton Centre’s roof.
Otago Badminton Association chairman Dr John Schollum said it was likely it would be closed for "the foreseeable future".
One residential property had been issued with a Dangerous Building Notice, and a neighbouring property has also been issued with an Affected Building Notice.
Mr Ward said it was too soon to say what the cost of the event would be.
Dunedin Wildlife Hospital general manager Suzanne Stephenson called for the public to be on the lookout for any injured wildlife in the area and contact the Department of Conservation if they saw anything that looked like it was injured. She said the rough seas created by the severe gales may have injured birds and penguins in particular.
