About 50 properties were damaged by a tornado that tore through the upper South Island on 10 April, 2023.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
About 50 properties have been damaged after a tornado tore through the Tasman district near Nelson on Monday afternoon.
The tornado swept through the area about 1.20pm – that is about 16 hours after another tornado caused damage to properties in East Auckland on Sunday night.
In East Auckland, trees snapped and at least 51 homes were damaged as extreme winds powered through Golflands to East Tāmaki, including Tamaki Heights, Flatbush and Huntington Park about 9pm.
No-one had been reported as injured in the area though, and about 10 properties had to be yellow stickered as a result of last night’s damage.
Speaking on Monday’s tornado in the upper South Island, Fire and Emergency said about 12 houses either had lifted roofs or had lost their roofs entirely, mostly in the Upper Moutere area.
Tree branches are left dangling in Petra Way, Tasman after a tornado that tore through the upper South Island on 10 April, 2023.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
A tree fell onto a car with a person inside in Māpua, but they escaped with minor abrasions.
There have also been reports of a tree falling onto power lines and a tree falling across a driveway.
FENZ district manager Grant Hayward said home-owners in Upper Moutere were trying to make their properties weather-tight and secure.
“So the damage we’re seeing is roofs lost, implements sheds, some houses have been partially destroyed, we’ve got cars damaged, trees down, orchards destroyed and damaged, so it’s quite widespread and quite localised.”
The tornado shocked people in the area, Hayward said.
People caught in the tornado said they had never felt such strong winds, he said.
“Basically loud noises, extremely strong winds that they had never experienced before and just yeah, quite shocking for them.”
Upper Moutere resident Kenny Cripps said windows were smashed and his wooden gazebo had blown away – he had no idea where it had gone.
Kenny Cripps wasn’t home when the tornado tore through his home in Petra Way, breaking windows and damaging cars, on 10 April, 2023.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
He was away from home when the tornado struck and got he got call from his wife, who was upset.
“And she just said the road’s all smashed up and trees everywhere and roof’s off, and I said ‘I’ll get home as soon as I can’ and then obviously just got stuck in traffic all the way home.”
Cripps helped his neighbours to put tarpaulins on damaged roofs to try to keep out more rain falling in the area on Monday night.
Upper Moutere resident Kenny Cripps said windows were smashed and his wooden gazebo had blown away – he had no idea where it had gone.
He was away from home when the tornado struck and got he got call from his wife, who was upset.
“And she just said the road’s all smashed up and trees everywhere and roof’s off, and I said ‘I’ll get home as soon as I can’ and then obviously just got stuck in traffic all the way home.”
Cripps helped his neighbours to put tarpaulins on damaged roofs to try to keep out more rain falling in the area on Monday night.
Network Tasman said power had been restored to many homes following the twister, but line crews were still working to repair the damage in some areas.
Contractors are also clearing tree debris on State Highway 60 between Richmond and Motueka, although the road is still open.
About 50 properties were damaged by a tornado that tore through the upper South Island on 10 April, 2023.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Later on Monday afternoon, Fire and Emergency shift manager Blair Walklin said the weather had cleared.
“Our crews are currently busy in the area dealing with a range of weather-related events ranging from alarm activations to roofs lifting and houses flooded.
“Our crews are currently assisting members of the public and we ask people to adhere to any road closures and obey emergency service’s instructions.”
Police urged people to stay indoors rather than risk further harm by travelling to see the damage.
Trees have fallen over in Petra Way, Tasman after a tornado that tore through the upper South Island on 10 April, 2023.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Warnings and watches are in place for heavy rain and strong winds for parts of central and southern New Zealand as a large and complex trough continues to bring unsettled weather to the country.
Taranaki, Nelson, Marlborough and Westland were under orange heavy rain warnings.
MetService said another 40 to 60 millimetres of rain was expected in Taranaki until 3pm, with thunderstorms possible.
A similar amount of rain was likely for Marlborough and Nelson until 6pm.
Westland’s rain warning was valid until 11pm on Tuesday.
“Vigorous thunderstorms are currently moving onto the Kāpiti Coast, and we’re received reports of 10mm diameter hail,” MetService tweeted just after 3pm.
Waka Kotahi was urging holidaymakers returning home over the long weekend to drive to the conditions and be aware they will inevitably face some delays with temporary traffic management and lower speed restrictions in some areas.
The South Island…
(That’s snow falling. Generally near/above 2000 m) pic.twitter.com/mzMH08bzyH
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) April 10, 2023
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