Two destructive tornadoes hit New Zealand

Some 50 homes have been damaged after severe thunderstorms spawned a destructive tornado in the Tasman District, near Nelson, South Island, New Zealand on April 10, 2023. The event happened about 16 hours after another damaging tornado swept through East Auckland, North Island on April 9.

According to media reports, a Civil Defence center was opened in East Auckland after a tornado swept through the area around 21:00 LT on April 9, lifting roofs off homes and downing trees. One resident said the tornado caused ‘massive damage’ in the East Tamaki suburb.¹

Fire and Emergency service said more than 50 calls about damage related to the tornado, with most of the calls due to roofs lifting or being damaged, trees blown onto homes, and falling on powerlines.

The tornado reportedly lasted a couple of minutes.

Fire and Emergency Incident Controller David McKeown said most damage reports were from homes in about 11 streets from Golflands to East Tāmaki.²

The second tornado hit the Tasman District, near Nelson in South Island at 13:20 LT on April 10, damaging about 50 homes. Residents described the damage left by it as ‘unbelievable.’³

Reports mention blown-off roofs, damaged cars, flattened crops, trees ripped down, and power outages. The worst hit area was Upper Moutere.

The damage is about 200 m (650 feet) wide and 2 km (1.2 miles) long.

Luckily, there are no reports of serious injuries.

References:

¹ Tornado hits in East Tamaki and Flat Bush, Auckland – NZ Herald – April 9, 2023

² Tornado strikes East Auckland, resident says it made ‘scary’ thudding sound – RNZ – April 10, 2023

³ Roofs lift off homes as tornado and thunderstorms tear through Tasman region – Stuff – April 10, 2023

Featured image credit: Newshub (stillshot)