RFMI: Papamoa tornado 22 June 2008

[Grant]

Request for more information please: If anyone has eye witness reports, video or pictures or is close enough for a site survey, please comment by reply.

A mini tornado ripped through a Papamoa street yesterday and a slip closed part of State Highway 1 north of Auckland as heavy rain and wild weather lashed much of the country.

Yesterday, a mini tornado cut a small swathe through Wairakei Ave in Papamoa, near Tauranga, sending roof tiles and guttering flying from three homes shortly before 11am, Fire Services said. Spokesman Jaron Phillips said the three homes had "minor damage" but there were no reports of injuries.

Glen Audas was sitting upstairs at his two-storey home when a gust of wind picked up his patio heater and threw it against the deck outside.
"I sort of told the kids to get inside because we could see what was coming," he said.
Mr Audas described it as a "really howling wind" which went as quickly as it came: "It had been windy that day but this was like really blowing at the time ... it was this swirling wind with leaves and debris."
He felt sorry for those among the worst hit.
"They lost about 50 tiles, had their car damaged, their gazebo flew away and they lost some of their guttering too," he said. "The guy living there is taking it pretty hard."

Real winter arrives in a whirlwind - 23 Jun 2008 - Weather News - NZ Herald