More than 200 people were stranded overnight at schools, camps, in their cars and even at strangers’ homes as wild weather hammered Mangawhai.

Record rainfall and plunging temperatures brought hailstones, slips and flooding last the storm swept through the Northland town last night.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” one resident told the Herald this morning. “It seemed worse than Cyclone Gabrielle.”

Settlement Rd Bridge near Valley Rd Intersection. Photo / Jonathan Larsen, Kaipara Deputy Mayor

James Barlow ended up with a house full of strangers sleeping in spare beds and couches after motorists became stranded and roads were closed.

“There was no warning of how bad it would get and so everyone was under-prepared,” he said. “My son was unable to get back from Ota school and spent the night in Waipu hall so his bed didn’t go to waste.”

Barlow added that many others were also offering up their places: “One of my neighbours actually came to my house looking for some milk for all the teas and coffees.”

A resident sizes up huge hailstones. Photo / Alison Barlow

Kaipara District Council Mayor Craig Jepson told the Herald it was a “little bit depressing” to see the carnage today.

Jepson admitted it’s been a rough night and the heavy rain “has caused a lot of damage”.

”I live on the estuary, I can see it coming down the river - it’s like a river not a tide this morning coming under the bridge in front of us on Molesworth Drive.”

Waka Kotahi sent crews at “first daylight” to clear Otioro Rd in Topuni, linking back up with State Highway 1 to reconnect Northland with the rest of the country.

Hakaru River Bridge on Kaiwaka -Mangawhai Rd. Photo / Jonathan Larsen, Kaipara Deputy Mayor

Kaipara District Council has put on two breakfast services today - at Campbell Park and Moir Point Christian Camps - for people who didn’t make it to shelter last night and had to sleep in their cars.

The council is urging people to avoid travel if possible as roading authorities are still working to assess the damage and clear some roads.

Flooding at Mangawhai, off Waiteitei Rd near Mangawhai Rd. Photo / Shane Wiski Whitmore

Mangawhai residents who talked to the Herald said they counted themselves lucky when their situation was compared to the devastation in Hawke’s Bay.

“Mostly is just a temporary nuisance ... It was just incredible the force of nature in such a small amount of time.”