Vector media update 14 Feb 11am 

Next update: 3.30pm 
 
The severe gales that continue to pummel the Auckland region are hampering our efforts to restore power to thousands of people, with crews needing to stand down at times for their own safety.
 
One crew has had to abandon their vehicle in rising floodwaters and others have had to stop restoration efforts at various times through the night and morning.
 
However, they continue to respond to outages whenever it is safe to do so. As of 10.30am those without power stood at 38,000, with some faults fixed since our previous update, only for new outages to occur and we expect the number to continue to fluctuate throughout the day
 
We would like, once again, to thank Aucklanders for their patience as we try to reach them. This will take time in some areas, for example Piha, where trees have blocked roads and we are unable to access damaged equipment.
 
In other areas, we are finding multiple faults, which are challenging to fix. In the Warkworth, Wellsford, and Snells Beach area we are facing a complex scenario, with the Dome Valley road closed, multiple faults to deal with, difficulty accessing damaged equipment, and concerns around crew safety
 
While we are able to restore some outages relatively quickly, families and businesses, particularly in more rural areas, should be prepared for several days without power. We hope to provide more detailed information later today about how long we expect it will take to restore different areas.
 
With the gales forecast to continue throughout the day, including gusts of 130kph, our crews will need to stand down when the conditions become unsafe.
 
Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the cyclone and we want you to know we are putting every effort into getting your power back on.
 
Our contact centre is under pressure, so if you have already called to report an outage, and it is showing on our outage centre, there is no need to call again. Please avoid blocking the phone lines, so others can report any new outages. Please refer to the outage centre for any updates.  
 
To report an outage or check an address for an outage go to: Vector.co.nz/outages 

Photo: Trees affecting powerlines in New Windsor.