National Park hit by tornado

Tuesday, 10 April 2018

An Urban Search and Rescue Team has been deployed after a tornado hit National Park Village.

It was the howling wind that caught Sarah Crump's attention.

But it was an approaching 'wall of water' that had her duck for cover under her desk as a tornado tore through National Park Village on Tuesday morning.

While earlier reports suggested six houses had been destroyed by the tornado, latest reports suggest one house was partially destroyed, while five more have been badly damaged.

Damage is evident at one of the six houses destroyed by a tornado in National Park.

Trampolines flew past Crump's workplace at Plateau Lodge & Tongariro Crossing Shuttles in the town centre, and sheets of iron were flung through the air, hitting cars and power poles.

'I saw the wall of water and I thought, what is this s…?'

A tornado whipped through National Park on Tuesday morning destroying houses and downing power lines and signs.

'There was a downpour of rain and then this howling.'

Crump said the tornado lasted at least one minute, possibly two.

Power poles damaged by a tornado on Buddo St, at National Park Village, on Tuesday morning.

As soon as it passed, she called her daughter who was en route to school in Ohakune on a bus.

After making sure her daughter was ok, she ran from her Carroll Street workplace to her home, 500 metres down the road.

Power is out after power lines were blown over.

'I wanted to check and see if my house was ok, and luckily there was no damage.

'A few friends have lost the roofs of their homes so we'll be looking for places for them to stay tonight.'

Roofs were damaged and trees de-branched by the tornado that swept through National Park on Tuesday morning.

Crump said there was torrential rain, lightening strikes and thunder after the tornado passed.

Power poles are lying on the road and there is no electricity, she said.

Roads are cordoned off after a tornado struck National Park Village in the Central North Island.

Emergency services, including civil defence and the fire service, arrived soon after it happened, around 9.30am.

'I've been here 20 years and we haven't had anything like this,' Crump said.

Debris litters streets around National Park Village.

'We've got work cars that look like they've been written off but we're all safe so that's the main thing.'

Ruapehu District Council chief executive Clive Manley said one unoccupied house had been completely destroyed.

There was also structural damage to several other properties including partial roof loss and broken windows.

He said four households had been rehomed to commercial accommodation and cordons were in place for limiting public access while homes were insecure.

Manley said the water was safe to drink and sewerage is operational.

An elderly couple in one of the houses, that was partially destroyed, have been evacuated as their house was now uninhabitable. They were not injured.

A Stuff reporter on site, Frances Ferguson, said residents were taking shelter the best they could.

Damage left after a tornado hit National Park Village on Tuesday.

'There were children at the playcentre and National Park School this morning. Staff decided it would be safer for them to stay put until the storm quietened.'

Their parents arrived to pick them up about 11.30am.

The storm was furious from 9am, Ferguson said.

'There was heavy, driving rain this morning – you couldn't even see,' she said.

'It's all stopped now. The wind has disappeared.'

By Tuesday night, power had been restored to most of the village.

The town was now cordoned off, affecting around 40 properties, and would remain so overnight, because of the danger of falling trees and debris.

Urban Search and Rescue Team were undertaking structural inspections of damaged properties.