UPDATED 8.25am Monday October 2, 2006
By James Ihaka, Elizabeth Binning and Lee Rowberry
The MetService is warning more wild weather could hit northern regions today after a mini tornado yesterday which swept through West Auckland damaging roofs, uprooting trees and causing widespread flooding.
A heavy rain warning was issued last night, with thunderstorms and up to 100mm of rain expected to fall in Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula by this afternoon.
Yesterday's tornado struck in Martin Jugum Lane about 3.30pm, heralding a severe electric storm that caused flooding, landslips and damage throughout West Auckland, the North Shore and central city.
Firefighters have now been called to around 200 incidents since yesterday afternoon. The AA is warning this morning that surface flooding is particularly deep at the end of the North-Western Motorway at Westgate where State Highways 16 and 18 meet.
Further north, police says there are still concerns about flooding on the Kaipara Coast Highway. International and domestic flights were also affected at Auckland airport.
Ranui resident Cathy Andrews had been chatting to a friend in Australia on the internet when she heard a "tremendous crashing noise".
"I looked out the window and everything was flying everywhere - there were trees, fencing and tiles just flying all over the place," she said.
"I ran through the house shouting 'Tornado! Tornado!'
"There was this absolute roar and it's something you wouldn't want to live through again."
Further down the road Isaac Cheriyam felt his house bear the full brunt of the tornado. "I was just watching TV when we heard this incredible noise," he said.
"The house then started rattling and the thunder and lightning came at the same time - I could hear it coming towards our house from the other side of the street."
Mr Cheriyam said the tornado petered out after it went past his home - throwing tiles on to his front lawn, denting his garage door and piling his outdoor dining set on top of itself.
The tornado left a trail of damage at least 100m long.
Ripped out
Large sections of fences had been ripped out of the ground and flown up to 40m through the air.
Housing insulation was hanging from the inside of homes, roofing tiles were scattered throughout properties and outdoor furniture was thrown about like toys.
While firefighters tried to repair the damaged roofs using tiles and salvage sheets, the Northern Communications Centre received the first of more than 100 calls that came in during the worst of the storm.
In West Auckland swollen streams flooded houses, basements and buildings, while arcing powerlines caused small fires.
Heavy winds uprooted trees and sent one iron roof flying into a neighbouring property.
Rain fell at up to 50mm an hour in some parts of the city.
The wild electrical storm above the airport meant delays for both international and national flights, said airport communications adviser Carolyn Gibson.
In Henderson Valley Rd, Kelly Jamieson and partner Neil were so concerned about the flooding they drove their son to his grandmother's home.
"It just came up really quick from out the back creek. Suddenly all of Neil's tools were floating in the garage," Ms Jamieson said.
In Opanuku Rd firefighters helped the Collins family move property to higher ground. The firefighters then put a pole in the floodwaters and told the family to evacuate if the water rose above a certain level.
As the storm moved across the city firefighters began getting calls for help in the central city and North Shore - where 30mm of rain fell between 4pm and 5pm at Birkenhead Pt.
In the city a foodcourt in lower Queen St flooded and people were evacuated from the Civic Theatre after sewage flooded its lower level.
Fire Service Northern Communications Centre shift manager Jaron Phillips said firefighters had attended 126 emergency calls between 3pm and 8.30pm, most of which were about flooding.
A handful of car accidents were probably related to the weather.
Parts of the Northern Motorway and State Highway 17 around Dairy Flat and Albany were closed by flooding at one stage last night. The motorway was closed northbound from the Esmonde Rd exit.
Mr Phillips said the Fire Service worked under its Multiple Incidents Procedures into the evening.
