Severe gales have wreaked havoc throughout central parts of the country on Sunday night.
In the Wellington region, State Highway Two over the Remutakas was closed after gusts topped 150-kilometres per hour.
Meanwhile, the strong gusts uprooted trees which took out power lines as they fell.
At one point more than 7,000 properties lost power in the Hutt Valley.
Fire and Emergency's Wellington District Manager Nick Pyatt spoke to Corin Dann.
