Sunday Night’s Tornado Brings More Havoc to Already Reeling Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, is reeling from yet another disaster. Just two months after the region was devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle and three months after the city was hit by deadly flooding, a tornado struck the city on Sunday night. The tornado caused “localised havoc” around 9pm, with roofs lifted off homes and trees toppled, Auckland Emergency Management reported.

Residents of East Tāmaki neighbourhood described the scene as “scary” and “heartbreaking”. Manpreet Braar, a resident, said, “It’s a scary scene here in the neighbourhood. People are heartbroken seeing the condition of their houses and roofs. You can sense the fear factor upon having a look at the damage.” Priyank Aro, another resident, told Stuff news website that the tornado had smashed his dining room window and sent glass shards flying across the room “like bullets”. His family “feared for our life” and fled outside, only to find a “bad” scene with trees and fences knocked down.

Firefighters worked overnight to help residents cover their roofs with tarpaulins, and incident controller David McKeown said most of the damage reports came from homes in about 11 streets spanning from Golflands to East Tāmaki. No injuries were reported, but the city is still reeling from the effects of the storm.

In other parts of the country, New Zealand was hit by over 14,000 lightning strikes in the 12 hours leading up to Monday morning, with more heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast for the South Island. Another tornado struck the Upper Moutere area on Monday, causing damage to 12 houses and power outages in the surrounding area.

This incident comes just months after a devastating flooding event in Auckland, which saw four people killed and thousands displaced. Climate change is causing episodes of heavy rainfall to become more common and more intense in New Zealand, although the impact varies by region. The city is still recovering from the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle, which killed 11 people and left thousands displaced after flood waters and landslides destroyed homes.

The recent disasters have left Auckland residents on edge, with many still rebuilding and recovering from the previous events. As the city struggles to cope with the aftermath of the tornado, the Met Service has warned of more heavy rain and thunderstorms on the way, with the Tasman Sea expected to bring stormy weather to the South Island. For Auckland residents, the latest disaster is a grim reminder of their vulnerability to the whims of the weather and the growing impact of climate change on their daily lives.