A woman surveys the damage to her Goldsmith Crescent property including parts of a shed blown across the street when a tornado hit Levin this morning. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Up to 50 homes are damaged after a torndao tore through Horowhenua, with one person injured by glass.
Roads are beginning to reopen in Levin after an early morning tornado caused chaos across the town, but the council is warning residents to stay vigilant.
A property on Strathmore Ave was badly damaged when furniture from the lounge was torn out through the conservatory windows by the tornado.
Other properties had sheds flattened, broken windows and downed fences as well as powerlines.
Horowhenua District Council says while the worst of the weather has passed, the district is not out of the woods yet.
"While the worst of the weather front looks to have passed, Horowhenua/Kāpiti is under a severe thunderstorm watch, with localised heavy rain events happening across the district. Hailstones of 10-20mm and 120km/h wind gusts have been forecast."
The council is urging people to stay inside and ensure their animals are also inside and safe.
If staying home is not an option, the council has set up a welfare centre.
"A welfare support centre has been set up at the Youth Space in Te Takeretanga-o-kura-hau-pō on Bath St, Levin. Welfare officers are working to secure accommodation for those that have been displaced."
More than 790 people in Horowhenua are still without power, but 11,185 have had their power restored.
All powerlines should be treated as live at all times.
Mitre 10 Levin is also stepping in to assist by giving out free tarpaulins to anyone whose home was damaged in this morning's tornado.
Customer service rep Melissa Waiwai told the Herald the demand has been high, with almost all their stock gone in just two hours. Demand in-store is also high, with the majority of customers coming in to buy gas bottles as they have no power, or screws and rope to secure their roofs
Waiwai said the tornado this morning was like "nothing I've ever heard" and described it as a "buzzing" noise. Her trampoline was missing, and the clothesline at her house was damaged. She says the tornado tore through the town in a straight line
Levin resident John Murphy was awoken by a crashing sound "like a plane hitting the house" this morning as the tornado ripped through the town.
Murphy told the Herald he was shocked by the massive crashing of the tornado.
"The streetlight which is built up with steel and concrete was swaying in the wind!"
Several streets and schools have been closed as Fire and Emergency have activated an urban search and rescue team, which will search the damaged streets and assess the damage alongside the council.
On Goldsmith Crescent, sheds have been flattened by the tornado and timber is littering the street.
Trees and powerlines have been brought down and residents have already begun the clean-up.
Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden is advising Levin locals to "hunker down".
"We're just in the process of trying to restore power, clean up the debris and get things back to normal as quickly as we can."
A Civil Defence incident management team is in Levin and is urging people to stay home unless travel is critical.
"The CDEM Incident Management Team has been called in to assist emergency services throughout Levin. Police, Fire and Emergency, St John, contractors and arborists have all been activated to assist," said a council spokesperson.
Libraries are an important part of the community, writes Wendy Fraser.