New Zealand struck by a twister

A tornado has torn through a North Island, New Zealand town, leaving significant damage in its aftermath. Luckily, there were no immediate reports of major injury following the tornado, which cut through New Plymouth in the early morning Monday, local time.
According to the New Zealand Herald, the twister swept in from the sea into the central business district at about 4:20 a.m., damaging at least 15 premises. The report told of roof damage and shattered windows, as well as water infiltration. Power in the area was lost. One resident rode out the storm in her bedroom as windows shattered and personal items were sucked outside by the fearsome wind.
A local emergency management officer, Mike Langford, said that the twister’s path, which was apparently about 2 km long, was like that of another tornado that struck the city in 2007.
Weather maps show that, at the time of the tornado, low pressure lay off the west coast of North Island. The low would have provided the atmospheric spin needed to foster a tornado, given a strong thunderstorm.
New Plymouth is located on the island’s west coast. (AccuWeather)
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.