Newshub reporter Lewis Hampton has felt the full force of Cyclone Cook in Ohope on Thursday.
The young TV news journalist struggled to keep his feet as he was lashed by gale-force winds and rain live in front of an anxious nation.
Hampton was crossing live into Newshub at 6 from Ohope Beach in Bay of Plenty to give updates on the Cyclone.
"It's wild here now. We've got torrential rain and gale-force winds - I'm almost being blown off my feet as I'm talking to you now," he told the camera as he struggled for footing.
Behind him the tree branches were violently wrenched around by the wind, and a near-hypothermic Hampton grappled with his microphone.
"My cameraman is holding on to the camera as hard as he can so it doesn't get blown away," he continued.
"Now the most worrying thing is things here are expected to get much worse before they get better," he said - visibly upset at the thought.
Newshub.
