According to Powerco, about 770 households across the Coromandel Peninsula were without power by 3.30pm.

This figure is an improvement on the 8000 Coromandel households which been without power at various times today.

Most power cuts were flooding related, although about 500 customers lost power after a vehicle collided with a pole at Kaihere at 10am, says Powerco network operations manager Phil Marsh.

All power was restored in that incident by 11.30am.

'Powerco field crews have made good progress in difficult conditions restoring power to the majority of Coromandel Peninsula customers who lost supply today following heavy rain overnight,” says Phil.

In the biggest single power cut, which occurred about 3.30am, 6064 customers lost power after a slip caused by flooding cut supply to the main line supplying Whangamata.

The vast majority of the 770 households without power at 3.30pm involve new power cuts and Powerco is currently investigating the cause and progressively restoring power. However, 141 are in the Opoutere area where road access had been cut by flood damage.

'Power went out in Opoutere just after midnight. Field crews are trying everything to get into the affected Opoutere area, including going into affected areas on foot, to get customers' power back on as quickly and safely as possible. Thank you again for your patience,” says Phil.

'Landslips following rain can bring down power poles and lines and power lines can kill. Keep yourself, children, pets or livestock well clear of downed power lines and treat all lines as live at all times. If you see a downed power line, call emergency services on 111 immediately.”