Death toll likely to rise as storm destroys houses, heads south

Today's storm destroyed homes, closed roads and wreaked havoc across the country. Photos / BOP Times / Sarah Ivey / Supplied

The death toll from today's violent storm looks set to rise with police calling off their search for a man missing in the Bay of Islands.

Earlier in the day, a woman in her mid 40s, thought to be the man's partner, drowned in Kawakawa's Waikare River.

Further south residents of up to 14 houses, threatened by a major slip
in the North Shore suburb of Torbay, face an anxious night to see whether they will be able to return to their properties.

One home has already been severely damaged.

A Northern Fire Communications spokesman said the decision to evacuate the homes had been made quickly after an assessment by the North Shore Council, civil defence and emergency services.

The slip was about 4000 to 5000 square metres in area, he said.

Police were trying to contact the home owners, many of whom were not at home, to prepare them for the shock of the news.

* Woman dead, man missing
* BOP houses hit by tornado
* Kids trapped in Elsthorpe School
* SH25 south of Whitianga flooded
* Power outage in Levin
* Slip closes SH57 near Levin
* SH1 at Dome Valley reopens

The North Island's second storm in less than a week has caused havoc for motorists, with slips and flooding closing many roads and police warning against unnecessary travel.

In the Bay of Plenty, a tornado ripped through several streets, lifting roof tiles and smashing windows about 9am, but there are no reports of injuries at this stage, police said.

Papamoa resident Brian Gardyne said he heard a small tornado go around his house.

He said: "There wasn't much damage but our poor dog in his kennel was a bit shocked it ripped up his roof."

An hour later the wind had abated and the sun was shining weakly as firefighters placed tarpaulins on the damaged roofs, said Senior Sergeant Tania Kura from the Mt Maunganui police.

"You wouldn't believe it now but it is light drizzle and it is quite sunny," she said.

She said the tornado did not leave a swathe of destruction but several houses next to each other were damaged.

"The fire guys are up on the roofs, putting tarps up to cover it in the meantime.