How a freak tornado brought a battered Papatoetoe community together

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Residents of Papatoetoe's Fitzroy St say the tornado has wreaked havoc, but they're pulling together.

It’s just after 6pm on Monday evening, two days after a freak tornado devastated streets of Papatoetoe, and Carissa Carter can hear the bricks that are holding a tarpaulin in place on her damaged roof, rolling away as wind picks up.

She came out to check and saw the tarpaulin was flapping in the wind.

Carter lives alone with her partner, Winton Houghton, who has a bad back, and she worried they wouldn’t be able to put the tarp back in place, and that it would blow into the power lines.

The tornado, which hit several Papatoetoe streets on Saturday morning, caused significant damage to homes and power lines.

Down the road, her neighbours had heard the tarpaulin flapping in the wind too.

Carissa Carter lives on Fitzroy Street in Papatoetoe where a tornado tore up homes on the weekend.

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All of a sudden, without her even putting a call-out, her neighbours from all directions had flocked to the front of her house and got to work.

Andy Zhang says he’s grateful for the help of the local community.

“The neighbour next door, the people living behind us, a neighbour living five houses down the road – they all came around to help,” Carter said.

“Our lovely plumber neighbour from across the road came with a wheelbarrow full of great, big blocks, and he carried them on his shoulder, one by one, up on the roof.

“They all tied the tarp down, there were about six guys up there, tying the tarp holdings down, and we had a good night’s sleep.”

It’s a scene that warms Carter’s heart – because all her neighbours, one way or another, have been affected by the tornado, some with extensive damages to their homes.

Roy Rogers and his son - also Roy Rogers - spent the weekend cleaning up after a tornado ripped through their Auckland neighbourhood.

“Despite what everyone’s going through, people are still helping each other out. And that’s what has been happening after the tornado, we’re going through this together … we’re all there for each other.”

Fitzroy St, where Carter lives, was one of the worst hit by the tornado, which damaged homes, uprooted trees and brought down power lines.

Hours after the tornado hit, neighbours were knocking on her door with offers of hot drinks, meals and blankets.

“A lady turned up at my house, she’s a neighbour and I have never met her, turned up with a thermos and a sleeve of polystyrene cups and gave people coffee.

“With that, you can keep working, you don’t have to worry about driving off to get a meal or anything – people were just there for you.”

Andy Zhang, another resident whose home was so damaged it may be written off, said he’s been so thankful for the help of the Papatoetoe community.

“The damages are awful, we’ve lost everything but the clothes on our back, and we have people just coming in and offering any help they can,” he said.

Every day, Papatoetoe residents were going door-to-door offering help with putting up fences, clearing debris and even a warm place to rest, if needed.

Stuff came across Sina Tawake on Monday morning – her home escaped any damages, but she wanted to help in any way she could.

“All we can do is offer hot drinks, blankets and food – nothing compared to what they’ve lost. Hopefully it brings some comfort to them at this time,” she said.

Carter said everybody was doing something for somebody else.

“Everyday we walk the streets to see if anyone needs any help. People are delivering meals every day, the support has been unbelievable, no one was expecting it.”

Auckland deputy mayor Bill Cashmore said the community had already stepped up immensely.

“They are a very resourceful community, a very proud community, and they will help themselves tremendously,” he said.

Carter said after lives returned to normal, the Papatoetoe community should have a street barbecue to thank everyone for their efforts.

“It’s a real community spirit. Not just in the hours after the tornado hit but every day after that – we’re helping each other rebuild, and it’s been great to meet everyone and get to know them.

“It’s sad that it’s happened through the wake of a tornado, but this event has really brought the community closer together.”