Watch: High winds leave trail of destruction on West Coast as storm hits

February 1, 2018

The South Island region in the thick of a tropical cyclone.

The remnants of a cyclone has hit the West Coast of the South Island, with high winds and rain forecast for the next few days. 

Flooding is likely, with locals warned to only travel if absolutely necessary. 

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1 NEWS reporter Sam Clarke, in Greymouth, says light winds had "fully escaletd", causing damage across the district. 

"I can't overstate just how strong some of these winds are, we've seen it tear apart a garage, take roofs off, destroy windows."

"Basically anything that isn't bolted down is at the mercy of these winds."

Most of the Greymouth CBD has closed, with big chunks of corrugated iron strewn across the streets. 

Many schools have closed, with one principal telling 1 NEWS the walls of the classroom were moving with the weight of the storm. 

MetService estimates the winds to peak between midday and 2pm between 100-130 kilometres per hour. 

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