Tornado lifts roofs and causes ‘havoc’ in Auckland two months after cyclone Gabrielle

‘People are heartbroken seeing the condition of their houses and roofs’

Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, was hit by a tornado, leaving a trail of destruction just months after the wider region was devastated by cyclone Gabrielle and deadly flooding.

Emergency Management said it began receiving reports of “localised havoc” around Auckland and nearby areas since Sunday evening as photos and videos emerging of widespread destruction show roofs knocked off and trees uprooted.

The tornado passed through Golflands to East Tamaki, including Tamaki Heights, Flatbush and Huntington Park.

Authorities say around 70 houses were inspected and while there was physical damage, no injuries have been reported.

“None of the properties assessed so far has lost a whole roof, but many properties have lost tiles and windows or been damaged by falling trees,” Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said.

Search and rescue teams were on standby on Monday.

Some residents described the terrifying scenes that ensued, with homes severely damaged and debris scattered across the streets.

"It’s a scary scene here in the neighbourhood," East Tāmaki resident Manpreet Braar told the NZ Herald.

"People are heartbroken seeing the condition of their houses and roofs. You can sense the fear factor upon having a look at the damage."

Another resident, Priyank Aro, told Stuff news website the tornado had smashed his dining room window and sent glass shards flying across the room “like bullets”.

New Zealand was also hit by more than 14,000 lightning strikes in the 12 hours to 6am on Monday, with more heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast for the South Island.

This latest disaster followed the floods and landslides that swept through Auckland in January, killing four people and causing significant damage. Just weeks later, cyclone Gabrielle killed 11 people and left thousands displaced as floodwaters and landslides destroyed homes.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins called a national state of emergency and said it was "the most significant weather event New Zealand has seen in this century."

The climate crisis is ramping up the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events like tropical cyclones, the UN’s expert science panel, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), warned last year.

A report by World Weather Attribution (WWA) found that the climate crisis exacerbated the rainfall that followed Cyclone Gabrielle, making such incidents “four times more common” in the region.