The damage from Saturday's tornado in South Auckland was widespread. Photo / Dean Purcell
The damage from Saturday's tornado in South Auckland was widespread. Photo / Dean Purcell
A further $100,000 will be available to people affected by the deadly South Auckland tornado from a relief fund which now totalled $200,000.
Auckland Council confirmed it would match the Government's initial $100,000 deposit into the fund aimed to assist those hit by Saturday morning's tornado, which claimed the life of 41-year-old diesel mechanic Janesh Prasad.
Council offered a breakdown for what would be funded:
• Essential items such as food, clothing and bedding not already provided through other agencies
• Accommodation costs not already provided through other agencies
Many people were armed with tarpaulins, covering holes in roofs. Photo / Dean Purcell
To be eligible, people must be experiencing hardship as a result of the tornado. People able to receive other funding assistance may not be eligible for the fund, unless that assistance hadn't reduced someone's hardship.
Businesses were not eligible to apply and only one application per household was allowed.
Applications would be accepted until July 19, or until the fund was empty. The fund could be extended following a review on July 12.
Papatoetoe Library staff could also provide in-person application support.
The Ministry of Social Development also offered financial support to people for a range of means including food, clothing and bedding, accommodation, loss of income and cost of hosting evacuees at home, marae or community centres.
Auckland Emergency Management duty controller Fleur Aldridge said 67 people had been rehoused in emergency accommodation. Clean-up crews had removed six truckloads of building debris from the area.
Auckland Council building consents general manager Ian McCormick said inspectors had assessed almost 260 of the more than 1200 affected properties.
So far, 18 were uninhabitable, a further 51 were either uninhabitable or a section of the property was restricted, and 119 had minor damage but were inhabitable.
"Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tornado, including the family of the worker tragically killed at the container terminal in Wiri," Auckland mayor Phil Goff said.
"This has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved, and I acknowledge the resilience of the community in the face of this disaster and the support that the community has shown to those affected."
Aborists attend to a damaged Norfolk Pine which stood beside a ravaged block of flats in Papatoetoe. Photo / Dean Purcell
Anyone who wanted to donate to the fund could make payments to the Auckland Council bank account 12 3113 0131166 00, with "Tornado" as a reference.
As the clean-up continues in the streets worst affected, police confirmed they had increased their presence in the area after some locals raised concern properties were being targeted by looters.
"Police are aware of concerns by those affected by the weekend's weather events and want to reassure them that Police are working with emergency management to ensure the safety of the area," Inspector Rod Honan, of Counties Manukau Police, said.
"Police have not received any reports of burglary or theft at this stage.
"Police encourage neighbours and people in the area to look out for each other and each other's property and report and suspicious activity to Police on 111 if it's happening or 105 if it's happened. Anyone with concerns is asked to contact Police on 105.
"Auckland Emergency Management has arranged additional security patrols to be in the area for the next few days to support the work of Police and other responders, and to provide added reassurance for residents in the affected areas."
Honan also urged anyone who had welfare concerns to contact 0800 22 22 00 for assistance.
