Debris goes flying after a tornado struck properties at Springvale near Alexandra. Photo / Connor Diver
Debris goes flying after a tornado struck properties at Springvale near Alexandra. Photo / Connor Diver
A witness has described the “incredible and chilling” moment a tornado sent debris flying as it damaged four houses and obliterated a caravan near Alexandra yesterday evening.
Emergency services were called to Leaning Rock Rd, Springvale, after reports of a tornado around 6.30pm.
No injuries have been reported, but a house has lost a roof and debris has been found scattered in the area, a police spokesman said.
The tornado outside Alexandra yesterday. Photo / Connor Diver
Alexandra man Connor Diver was driving and pulled over to capture the moment the tornado hit.
His photos show a destroyed caravan flying through the air in pieces after being ripped apart by the tornado.
“What an incredible and chilling moment to watch. That explosion of bits was a camper getting ripped apart. We went up to make sure the people were okay at this house that had part of their roof go flying.
“They were in shock but all okay. The police and fire department were pulling up at that point so we took off.”
Alexandra man Marcus Allan learned of the tornado after a neighbour contacted him to say property he had been storing in Springvale had been damaged.
“I just came out to check on it - we got a phone call from the neighbours saying our stuff was just not here, and we soon found out that it wasn’t.”
A 2.5m x2.5m portacom containing hunting gear and other equipment was lost to the tornado, with the only evidence of its existence debris strewn across paddocks.
A house damaged by the tornado. Photo / Connor Diver
“There’s remnants of it about 50m over yonder over there and about 100m in the opposite direction over by the road from the tornado .... and now we’ve got to clean it up,” he said.
An internet cable at the property was also ripped up and damaged.
“My workmate who was in Alexandra noticed that there was the spiral was forming out here and he’s like ‘oh let’s go have a look at it’.”
“He was about halfway down the road when we came past and he’s like, ‘oh, hopefully that’s not your place’. It was.”
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said emergency services received reports of damage just prior to 6.30pm.
“We received reports that there had been a tornado touch down, or strong winds. There had been some damage to buildings and reports of roofs lifting off etc, but unsure to how much or to what extent.”
The damage was only limited to one area outside of Alexandra, the spokesman said.
