Signs have been ripped off buildings and streets flooded and power cut to many as windy conditions suddenly turned “ballistic” in Invercargill.

MetService upgraded its Southland and coastal part of Clutha to a red warning just before noon with a forecast of damaging gusts of 150 km/h in exposed places.

Invercargill City Council said “multiple trees have fallen across the city and flying debris poses a serious safety risk”. 

Roads have been closed across the city including Elles Rd, Inglewood Rd, Queens Drive from Herbert Street to Rugby Par and SH1 East Road.

Otago Daily Times reporter Toni McDonald said conditions suddenly changed for the worse just before 12pm.

She said looking out the window on to The Crescent she could see a sign being ripped off its pole.

The sign on Allied Media’s building had also been ripped from the sign of the building and the street was flooded.

She said the weather suddenly turned “ballistic” and she had never seen anything like it.

Emergency services were later called to the area.

Debris were flying everywhere across the road, fences were blown over and a garden shed flattened.

As the wild weather came through the number of outages listed on PowerNet’s website quickly multiplied.

All Invercargill bus services are suspended until further notice and parks and reserves in Invercagill and Bluff are closed.

Bluff Service Centre is also closed for the rest of the day.

MetService said the winds could pose a threat to life.

“Destructive winds will cause widespread damage including powerlines and roofs, with dangerous driving conditions and significant disruption to transport and power supply.”

– Allied Media