Businesses struggle with storm power outage

Auckland businesses are continuing to suffer from power outages, three days after gale forces winds battered across the city on Tuesday night.

An estimated 120,000 Auckland homes and businesses were believed to have been left without power immediately in the wake of the storm.

As it currently stands, that figure has been cut to roughly 15,000, with a large proportion of those waiting to have their power restored located in the city’s western suburbs.

Blockhouse Bay is one of those suburbs, and local businesses within the area are being forced to hold out until assistance arrives from Vector.

“It’s very cold and very dark, and we’ve had to keep the doors open,” said Barfoot & Thompson branch manager Chris Dever-Young.

The suburb’s branch of real estate company Barfoot & Thompson is one of at least three companies in the area that is without electricity.

“Most of our systems are web-based, but some of them aren’t, so we’ve had to make alternative arrangements.

“[We have been] using other offices for our systems. It’s usually easy accessing other offices for things that we need [from] offices that are up and running.”

Ms Dever-Young said that she did not know when electricity would be reinstated.

Blockhouse Bay Business Association council representative Derek Battersby was unaware of power outages for businesses in the suburb.

“All I can say is that Vector are working diligently, as quick as they can,” he said.

“Emergency Management have been working diligently to try and get all these issues resolved.

“I’m sympathetic to shops that have had their power cut out due to the outage.”