4.30pm
The tornado that struck a Taranaki farm claimed a second life today with the death of a 10-year-old boy.
Sergeant Robbie O'Keefe, of Waitara police, said Gary Mason's life support was turned off at Taranaki Base Hospital about 2.30pm.
"His family were by his side when he went," Mr O'Keefe said.
His mother,
Natasha Mason, 28, and her youngest son Shariff Mason, three, were reported today in a stable condition in the hospital.
Ms Mason's mother, Rosina Dawn Wikohika, 55, of Levin was killed when the tornado ripped through Motunui, north of Waitara, shortly after 6am yesterday.
The tornado came in from the sea at 80 km/h with a wind speed of more than 150 km/h and wreaked a 10 km path of destruction.
Mr O'Keefe told NZPA this morning he had never seen anything like the devastation before.
"It was just so amazing how the tornado picked the house up and the amount of debris and how far it was scattered."
The tornado hit the Motonui farm about 6am tearing the house from its foundations and dumping its four sleeping occupants and debris several hundred metres across the Epiha Rd property.
The boys' father was milking with the property's owner when the twister struck and neighbours alerted him to the tragedy.
The victims were found up to 200 metres from the destroyed farmhouse.
- NZPA
