Auckland tornado: The aftermath, in pictures

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Drone footage shows the damage caused by the tornado in Papatoetoe (First published June, 2021)

On Saturday, a freak tornado unexpectedly ravaged south Auckland.

It tore through homes, shattered roofs and uprooted trees. It killed one man, contractor Janesh Prasad, and injured at least two others.

Auckland’s Papatoetoe and Wiri suburbs suffered significant damage.

A chimney crushed the front of a van on Fitzroy Street in Papatoetoe.

The cleanup continues days after the freak weather event.

Destroyed shipping containers at the ports of Auckland wirings storage facility.

Tree contractors have been working around the clock to clear debris and fallen trees.

An assessor in an asbestos suit on Fitzroy Street in Papatoetoe.

Upturned cars were found in carparks and driveways throught the south Auckland suburbs.

Damage to homes has been so extensive many are still unable to return.

The Warehouse northern distribution centre suffered significant damage.

The tornado tore through homes, shattering roofs.

Fallen trees line the streets of Papatoetoe and Wiri.

Fallen trees and other debris littered the streets.

The clean-up process will go on long into the week.

Widespread damage could be seen across the entire suburb.

Houses were ravaged on Seddon Ave and Balance Ave in Papatoetoe.

The tornado shattered stock at Vistalite Windows and Doors in Papatoetoe.

An open home sign clings to wall fence on Fitzroy Street in Papatoetoe.

An aerial shot of the damage in Papatoetoe, south Auckland.

The mid-morning blue skies were stark contrast to the torrential rain and high winds which battered the city just hours earlier.

* Auckland tornado: 80 houses still with no power and welfare centre closes

* Auckland tornado: Worker died after being picked up and thrown against object

A total of 240 houses in Papatoetoe were affected by the event, will many of those being too damaged and dangerous for homeowners to return to.

By Sunday evening, 80 of those 240 were still without power.

Since Saturday, various clean up operations have been taking place throughout the south Auckland suburbs of Papatoetoe and Wiri.

Tree contractors have been working around the clock to clear debris and fallen trees, while Auckland Emergency Management response and building inspection teams have been visiting affected homes, waste collectors and street clean contractors on site.

In the following days further worries would surface for Papatoetoe residents. There were concerns that thieves would raid the abandoned homes that had been left without since Saturday.

Other residents now fear they will be unable to find a new place to call home, as insurers try to keep up with unprecedented local demand. On Monday it was reported insurers had received 301 claims within just 48 hours after the event.

The aftermath of the tornado is extending to far beyond just life within the home, as many schools around Papatoetoe report being faced with diminishing student numbers as the week sets in.

Many students, along with their families, are having to stay in temporary emergency housing or family homes in various suburbs around Auckland, making the work or school commute tricky, if not impossible.

While some facets of damage are one step closer to repair – Vector reported “less than 25 properties” now being without power on Monday evening – others will be waiting weeks, if not months, before the clean-up operation can come to a close.

Those affected by the tornado who are looking for guidance on how to make an insurance claim, apply for a Civil Defence payment, how to donate and more, can find it here.