Power has been restored to 531 properties in Mount Maunganui after a tree branch landed on power lines on Concord Ave at 3.45pm today, said a PowerCo spokesperson.

A caller to 0800SUNLIVE from Mount Maunganui said, “We just heard this massive bang and then our power went out”.

The power was restored at 4.17pm.

The PowerCo spokesperson said: “When overgrown, trees can interfere with power lines, cause outages and make it difficult for our crews to restore power. Trees in lines also pose a fire risk.”

Property owners were legally required to keep trees a minimum safe distance away from overhead lines under the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations.

“If your tree grows too close, you must get it trimmed by an approved contractor.”

Find out more about the regulations here: https://www.powerco.co.nz/safety/tree-safety-near-power-lines