Damage, injuries reported after Auckland tornadoUPDATED12:56 PM Thursday Dec 6, 2012
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The view from Birkenhead, looking west just prior to the storm hitting. Photo / Stuart Russell
A tornado has reportedly hit Hobsonville, tearing down trees and ripping panels from the motorway.
Fire, police and ambulance are racing to multiple callouts in Hobsonville and Upper Harbour and it It is understood a number of people may have been injured as a result.
The military are also believed to have been called in to assist.
Police were unable to comment on the situation as they were still being inundated with 111 calls from the Waitakere area.
A Fire Service spokesman said there appeared to be "significant building damage" and a number of people trapped.
"Wallingford Way is one street that has been particularly affected."
He said Fire Service teams were on the scene with more on the way.
Fire Service spokesperson Scott Osmond said there had been a number of callouts in West Auckland in the past hour due to the wild weather.
A roof had caved in at Mastertrade on Moselle Avenue, Henderson, he said, while there were reports of chimneys being toppled and roofs blown off in Hobsonville.
Callers to Newstalk ZB said the apparent tornado had brought down lights on the motorway and there were "dozens and dozens" of trees on the side of the road.
It hit the Upper Harbour motorway near Whenuapai.
Callers also said that it tore huge wooden panels off the side of the motorway, with heavy rain at the time.
Vector Energy has reported a power outage for the area of Hobsonville, with power not due to return until 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, another Newstalk ZB caller, Barney, has described it as scary weather.
"I've just got off at Point Chevalier just for fear of my life pretty much.
"Surface water is terrible, visibility is awful and nobody's putting their lights on."
Local resident Jordan Carter said high winds had hit his house in Whenuapai.
The fence had been blown down, trees uprooted and the lid of the spa pool gone, he said.
Earlier this morning, Metservice issued a warning that the storm may reach a rainfall rate of 30mm per hour. There is a high risk of surface flooding and streams may rise rapidly.
People are advised to use their headlights and bring pets inside.
Metservice forecaster Daniel Corbett said there would be a thunderstorm risk for the next few hours, and a chance of small hail.
"It is not the lunch hour to be out and about," he said.
Meanwhile, another severe weather warning has been issued for parts of the North Island today with more heavy rain expected for Bay Of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo and Taihape.
A further 80mm of rain could hit the ranges of the eastern Bay of Plenty where Metservice warns there could be possible surface flooding and slips.
While the wet weather system is moving east, Auckland can still expect more damp conditions over the next couple of days.
"There isn't really any reprieve for the old frizzy hair syndrome until we get more of a south west wind and that's probably going to take another 24 hours," said Mr Corbett.
"Later on today there will be another batch of showers and maybe some thunderstorms coming through for parts of Auckland and north western parts of the North Island."
Conditions will be slowly improving from tomorrow and through the weekend as the south west system comes through. However, showers will continue until Saturday morning.
Friday will bring breezes that will feel "fresh" after the mid-week humidity and the weekend will be an improvement on a "messy week", Mr Corbett said.
- nzherald.co.nz
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January 04, 2013, 08:42:51 PM