Video shows the moment a tornado hit Levin, leaving a trail of destruction.
Trish Wilkinson was laying in bed when she heard what she described as a huge thunder clap on Tuesday morning.
It was a tornado hurtling through the small town, taking off roofs, toppling fences and sending trampolines flying.
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She said a trampoline and a fence had been damaged near her property by the weather.
Another resident, who didn’t want to be named, told Stuff he was sitting in his lounge when he heard the rain begin.
“And then it got heavier and heavier and heavier, and then the house really shook, and I heard a lot of noise and [a] bang and commotion.”
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He said when he walked outside came outside the first thing he noticed outside the front door was a trampoline.
“Further, I saw my tree on the footpath, I went to the back of my house and saw [the] dividing fences between two neighbours had fallen down and my own fence to Wilton St was destroyed.”
Fire and Emergency assistant commander Craig Gold said the town was a “madhouse”, with sheds left as bits of tin, and trampolines turning into kites.
Gold said the tornado came through the town at 7.45am, heading down the west of the Adventure Park, along the main road and down Wilton St before lifting off at Playford Park.
He said it had caused significant damage to a number of properties, but there were no reports of injuries.
Crews were responding to several callouts for broken fences, downed trees and there was significant damage at the Top 10 Holiday Park.
Sheds at the site had been lefts as bits of tin, he said.
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Gold was with Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden, and said the council had activated its emergency operations centre.
He said Levin was a madhouse, and trampolines had turned into kites and were everywhere.
He said a number of trees on Oxford St had been cleaned up, but State highway 1 was blocked.
The council said initial reports indicated the tornado took down trees, impacted utilities lines and lifted roofs and fences.
“Contractors are out responding and clearing drains. Fire and Emergency have been activated, with a diversion on Oxford Street due to a fallen tree. Arborists are currently working to clear the road.”
They said the main damage was on Wilton and Carlisle streets.
Damage was also reported at Waikato beach, a beach township south of Levin.
“Emergency Management crews are currently checking on affected residents. Minimum flooding has been reported.”
This article was originally published on Stuff.co.nz and has been reproduced here with permission.
