Auckland tornado 'carnage': Windows shattered, roofs destroyed, trees collapsed
Saturday, 19 June 2021
People have been warned to stay out of an area of south Auckland after the tornado wreaked havoc, damaging properties and bringing down trees.
An emergency alert was sent to phones in the area, urging people to keep away from Cavendish Drive and Shirley Road in Papatoetoe, where high winds had destroyed roofs, smashed business premises, and left debris scattered across roads and gardens.
And tragedy struck in nearby Wiri, where a person died and two others were injured at Ports of Auckland's South Auckland Freight Hub, when the tornado dislodged multiple shipping containers.
When the storm hit, a Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said multiple firefighters and more than 20 crews were attending about one hundred calls relating to property damage.
Have you been affected by the tornado? Contact aucklandnewsroom@stuff.co.nz
**READ MORE:
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Other agencies responding included police, St John, Vector, and Auckland Council.
A fire service spokeswoman advised members of the public to keep away from any power lines that have fallen and to take care around broken glass.
Auckland Emergency Management duty controller Parul Sood pleaded for people to stay out of the affected areas, and said they are looking at what welfare support is needed by the people affected by the tornado.
Sood said the key message is for people to stay away from downed power lines and broken glass and check on neighbours, family and friends.
She said those in the area should have received an emergency mobile alert and further updates can be found on social media.
Meanwhile, the people who live and work in Papatoetoe are surveying the damage and beginning the clean-up.
GP Nalini Kohlhagen said she was in shock when arriving to work at Cavendish Doctors, on Cavendish Dr in Papatoetoe, on Saturday morning.
It was “carnage”, she said, with “wreckage everywhere”.
The doctors' clinic window had been completely shattered and some of the roofing had come off.
“We’re worried about our medication in the fridges, our flu vaccines”.
The MRI machine, which costs millions, may also be water damaged she said.
The tornado also destroyed the roof of father-of-one Ryan Lein's family home on Omana Road, leaving him fearing for the safety of his wife and child.
“I was sat in my front room and suddenly the weather got way worse and things started flying everywhere.”
Lein said he could hear loud cracks and bangs coming from the roof, before tiles started falling into his home, leaving tiles in the kitchen and bedroom.
“We were lucky that our 6-month-year-old baby woke earlier than normal this morning, as giant shards of glass and tiles fell into the cot.
“Now our roof is leaking and the forecast is rain tonight, so we are scrambling to try to protect our home from flooding with tubs and plastic coverings.”
Glasgow Ave resident Darryl Wright said he heard the noise first, the rumble, before seeing debris flying through the air.
“I just yelled at everybody to get down”.
It was over quick, in 15 seconds, he said. There was debris everywhere, but the neighbourhood has come together quick, according to Wright.
Roofers from down the road are already on top of Wrights house working to repair broken tiles and a fallen down chimney.
Nearby, workers at VistaLite Windows and Doors, Wiri, could be seen attempting to clean up the extensive damage to glass panes caused by the extreme weather.
Met Service meteorologist Andrew James said a low pressure system brought a thunderstorm to south Auckland shortly before 9am.
But without video evidence he was unable to confirm at an early stage if the damage caused in the area was done by a tornado.
“Conditions in the atmosphere at the time were conducive to tornados, and it is possible the damage was caused by ba small tornado.”
Manurewa resident Janet Thomas was checking her children's sports cancellations online when she saw her outdoor chairs went flying and the ranch-slider started shaking.
“There was a big bang and our fence had fallen and all our stuff went flying,” Thomas said. “It was over so fast.”
She saw chairs flying down the road and trees fallen on cars.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff said he was shocked by the damage that had rolled through Papatoetoe.
“It’s incredible”, he said.
Goff said it was heartening to see how quickly the community came together to start the cleanup.
On Seddon Ave Goff was treated to a community lunch table where locals had made a meal with the barbecue, ordered pizzas and made some kava.
James said the weather system that caused the damage had cleared from the area, and the risk to Auckland is diminished.
But with the storm now moving south, a weather watch remained in place for the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne.