New Zealand

Storm knocks out Westport airport runway lights

15:12 pm on 15 October 2012

Westport airport on the West Coast is closed to aircraft wanting to land at night after a lightning strike at the weekend destroyed 34 runway lights.

The airport's chief executive has praised the quick actions of staff who cleared the runway of debris from as a storm it just moments before a plane came in to land.

Replacement parts are being flown in from Australia and it is not known how long it will take to repair the lights.