More than 120 trampers were last night stranded in huts on the Milford Track awaiting evacuation, after a southerly blast tore through Fiordland and triggered landslips that closed the Milford road early yesterday.
The storm struck early yesterday, bringing gale-force winds gusting up to 140kmh, nearly 200mm of torrential rain and more than 8475 lightning strikes centred on Fiordland and the Southern Alps.
The force of the blast brought down trees, damaged huts and bridges, flooded parts of the Kepler, Routeburn and Milford Tracks and triggered two significant landslips that blocked the Milford road.
Department of Conservation (Doc) staff yesterday instructed trampers to remain at the huts they were in while a survey of damage was carried out.
The Kepler was later cleared for use, while people on the Routeburn were expected to walk out back towards the Glenorchy end of the track, Doc visitor asset manager Ross Kerr, of Te Anau, said.
However, about 120 trampers stranded last night at three huts on the Milford Track would be evacuated later today by helicopter, boat and bus, he said.
One Doc ranger was forced to evacuate his staff quarters at the Mackenzie Hut, on the Routeburn Track, after a large tree crashed through the ceiling of the building and damaged communications equipment on the roof during the storm, Mr Kerr said.
The ranger took shelter in another building at the complex, but walkers on the Milford and Kepler Tracks were also woken by the sound of hut windows being blown in by the wind.
One "very large" slip blocked the Milford road at Lake Gunn, while another containing 5000cu m of trees, rock and other material blocked the road at Lake Fergus, he said.
With the road inaccessible to vehicles, 120 trampers on the Milford Track last night spent their second nights at the Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling Huts, he said.
All three huts had been fully booked, but other walkers due to start the 53.5km track - running from the head of Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound - had been turned away and would receive full refunds, he said.
No trampers were injured or reported overdue, and the Kepler Track had already been checked and cleared for use, he said.
Guided walkers had also been told to remain at their huts on the Milford Track.
It was not known how many were in the area.
Trampers stuck at Dumpling Hut, on the Milford Track, would be flown out by helicopter today, while those at Mintaro and Clinton Huts would walk to Glade Wharf, be taken by boat to Te Anau Downs and then bused to Te Anau, he said.
Constable Andy Grant, of Te Anau, said up to 60 hunters were also in the area as part of this year's wapiti bugle deer hunt.
There were no reports of injury from the hunting teams, and police would only become involved if an injury or life-threatening situation was reported, he said.
New Zealand Transport Agency area manager for Southland, Peter Robinson, said contractors clearing the Milford road of debris expected the work could take three days, although it was possible one lane could open sooner.
That would allow people stuck at Milford Sound to drive out, he said.
The cost of the clean-up was not yet known, but the agency would make a claim to the Government to cover the bill, he said.
Mitre Peak Lodge manager Richard Hubber said last night many visitors to Milford Sound had made arrangements for an unexpected extra night because of slips on the road.
However, a convoy of 40 or more cars and campervans was allowed to leave for Te Anau about 5.30pm.
Damage in Milford Sound included broken windows and fallen trees.
In Wanaka, yesterday morning's storm brought thunderstorms, brief heavy downpours and wind gusts to the region, cutting power to homes in Lake Hawea for a short time.
In Queenstown, a motorist travelling along Lower Shotover Rd escaped injury after hitting a fallen tree branch while rounding a "dark corner" about 6.45am.
And, in Dunedin, winds gusting up to 94kmh brought down tree branches and power lines at Flagstaff Whare Flat Rd about 6.45am, with the arcing lines starting small spot fires until the power supply was cut off, Delta system controller Jeff Procter said.
Lines also came down at Marshalls Rd West, near Berwick, about 6.10am, the corner of Appold and Carson Sts, in Mornington, about 6.55am, and at Claremont St, in Maori Hill, about the same time.
One of the main 33,000kv lines between Waipori and Halfway Bush also came down, but power was switched to a second line and no outage resulted, Mr Procter said.
Winds in Dunedin peaked about 7am at 51 knots (94.5kmh), recorded at Dunedin International Airport, but MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said Fiordland bore the brunt of the storm.
