Relief fund for Auckland tornado victims doubled to $200k

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Ashna Rohit has been left picking up the pieces after a tornado ravaged south Auckland on the weekend.

A relief fund for victims of the Auckland tornado has doubled to $200,000.

Auckland Council and the government have contributed $100,000 each to help tornado-stricken families recover from the freak storm which hit on Saturday morning.

The tornado claimed the life of mechanic Janesh Prasad, who died working on Saturday at the South Auckland Freight Hub in Wiri after he was picked up by a tornado.

It also tore through parts of Papatoetoe over a few minutes, leaving at least 1200 homes damaged and nearly 70 people in emergency shelters overnight on Saturday.

On Tuesday, Mayor Phil Goff announced his office will contribute $100,000 to a Mayoral Relief Fund which had already received $100,000 from the government.

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The cleanup continues for Carissa Carter on Fitzroy Street in Papatoetoe where a tornado tore up homes this weekend.

The fund is additional to a pot of money available through the Ministry of Social Development for people who need help - regardless of whether they are on a benefit or not.

The money is for people who need immediate help until they can access longer term help, a statement from Auckland Council said.

Goff said 18 homes are uninhabitable and 51 homes have been significantly damaged and won’t be safe to enter.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tornado, including the family of the worker tragically killed at the container terminal in Wiri,” he said in a statement.

“This has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved, and I acknowledge the resilience of the community in the face of this disaster and the support that the community has shown to those affected.”

The council is also accepting donations to the relief fund via its bank account.

Power has been restored to most of the region, where it’s been safe to do so, and there have been no concerns yet over the water systems, Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore told Stuff on Tuesday.

Applications to the Mayoral Relief Fund can be made online or by calling Auckland Council on 09 301 0101.

Papatoetoe Library staff will also be providing in-person application support to those who need it. Papatoetoe Library is located at 30 Wallace Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland.

Anyone who would like to donate to the Mayoral Relief Fund can do so by making a deposit to:

Auckland Council

12 3113 0131166 00

Reference: Tornado