Tornado damages properties in Paeroa, 1000 homes without power ahead of settled weather

Over 1000 homes were left without power yesterday as a tornado ripped through a Hauraki township, damaging properties and vehicles. Photo / Jim Birchall

More than 1000 homes were left without power today as a tornado ripped through a Hauraki township, damaging properties and vehicles as violent electrical storms rumbled across the North Island.

Rain drenched the top of the north as witnesses told the Herald of the terrifying moment the tornado lifted roofs and felled trees, but the weather is expected to settle for much of the country tomorrow.

MetService issued heavy rain watches for the central North Island, dampening the Fieldays events in Hamilton. About 55mm of rain had already fallen between Tokoroa and Te Kuiti by midday.

Residents of Paeroa reported huge thunder, lightning, hail and wind before the twister struck. There were reports more than one tornado hit the town and its surrounds.

Damage to the Paeroa RV Centre after a tornado ripped through the Waikato town. Photo / Jim Birchall

Showers are expected for the main centres for the rest of the week, while Auckland should expect partly cloudy conditions with temperatures of 19C.

Weather should improve for the annual Fieldays with showers becoming “few and far between” and clearing in Hamilton.

Meanwhile, in Christchurch temperatures should drop from a balmy 19C tomorrow to 14C on Friday. Strong winds are forecast for Dunedin on Friday.

Hauraki District Council said on Facebook: “Batten down the hatches and take care out there. We’re hearing reports of wild winds in Paeroa, power outages in Ngātea and a tree blocking some of the road in the Karangahake Gorge.”

Paeroa resident Erik Page described a vortex of leaves the “size of a rugby field” passing near his property.

“It seemed like the end of the world for a moment, there was no time to do anything. It wasn’t the wind we heard first, it was the rain being pushed by it that smashed us,” Page said.

“But there’s gentle rain and no wind now. It’s surreal how quiet it is now.”

Auckland resident Liz Waters says she was travelling through the Karangahake Gorge, about 6km from Paeroa, when she encountered a “very, very unusual dark cloud moving at a great rate”.

State Highway 2 through the gorge was closed due to a fallen tree blocking lanes in both directions.

“We were just hit by wind and a tree came down and then a caravan drove past us with a tree wedged between the car and the caravan.”

She said there also appeared to be cars trapped in the section where the clump of trees had come down.

“[The tornado] was very very intense and short-lived. It was horrendously strong winds, very erratic, and then carnage and then it was over. I’ve never been in anything like it in my life.”

Damage to trees in a field near Paeroa, Waikato, after a tornado ripped through the area. Photo / Supplied

The caretaker of the Paeroa RV Centre caravan and holiday park told the Herald that residents were terrified as the tornado lifted the roof of the campground’s hall.

“I saw it coming from over the back of the thing [hall], it came through the trees and ripped branches off when it just smashed the hall. It was really scary, bits and pieces were flying everywhere.”

Two people were inside the hall at the time, he said, “and they were terrified”.

He said nobody was injured, but there was a bit to clean up. Fire and Emergency NZ responded to the damage about 1.58pm.

Another resident, Paula Thorburn, said she heard a loud noise and saw a section of twisted roof land across the road from where she was sheltering.

Residents in Paeroa described a tornado lifting roofs and sending debris flying on Wednesday as thunderstorms and rain lashed the country. Photo / Jim Birchall

MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said it was possible it was a tornado that hit given the thunderstorm cells over the area.

On its website, PowerCo listed 595 properties without power in Paeroa, and 947 without power in Ngātea.

“We’ve had multiple emergency jobs come through since just after 1.45pm, including reports of lines down.”

People in Ngātea, Kerepehi, Paeroa and surrounding areas were urged to stay well clear of downed or low power lines after reports of the tornado.

Meanwhile, in Auckland, office workers told the Herald the city was shrouded in darkness as lanes were closed and speed limits reduced on the Harbour Bridge due to high winds.

Commuters described peals of thunder overhead as traffic backed up from the bridge to Spaghetti Junction.

Air New Zealand was also forced to cancel two of its flights after a plane departing Auckland was struck by lightning.

Flight NZ429 left Auckland bound for Wellington and was struck in mid-air about 1pm.

Heavy rain watches were issued for the central North Island yesterday, while the downpours accompanied thunderstorms and reports of multiple tornados. Photo / Jim Birchall

The rain threatened the Black Caps v India third ODI at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval too, but the weather remained clear for the Garden City.

Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupō north of Tūrangi and the ranges of eastern Bay of Plenty were all under heavy rain watches.

MetService said heavy rainfall in these areas could approach warning criteria and thunderstorms were possible.

“[A] front is expected to deliver a period of heavy rain and thunderstorms to some places, and a heavy rain watch remains in force for central areas,” meteorologist Dan Corrigan said.