A large tree has fallen in central Wellington, blocking part of Lambton Quay.
An electrical box was crushed by the tree which has fallen on Lambton Quay. Photo: RNZ / Hamish Cardwell
City council spokesperson Richard MacLean says no one was hurt but a council staff member saw it fall around midday, and it's lucky no one was underneath at the time.
"They said it was quite dramatic."
Firefighters and council staff are at the Midland Park site making it safe, and preparing to remove the tree.
The southbound lane of Lambton Quay is blocked, and motorists are asked to avoid the street.
Photo: RNZ / Hamish Cardwell
Wellington City Council tree team manager Josh Symes said there had been "extreme wind" in the city in the past few days - and recent rain could have softened the ground - but it appeared a sudden gust today caused the fall.
"It's root plate failure - the load that the wind places on a tree.
"A tree is a bit like a lever arm, a fulcrum, so it has failed at the root where it is experiencing [the] most load from the wind."
He said the tree had landed on a power box which operates the traffic lights, and contractors were on the way to shut down the electricity.
It will take a few hours for the tree to be chopped and taken away.
MetService says there are no wind gauges in the Wellington CBD area where the tree fell, but its sensors on the Kelburn hill above registered gusts of up to 93 kilometres an hour, around noon.
It says it is possible high rise buildings in Wellington's CBD funnelled and strengthened the wind.
There have been frequent gales over 100 kilometres an hour in Wellington in recent weeks, as well as some heavy rain.
Photo: RNZ / Hamish Cardwell