'Blown to pieces': Tornadoes tear through New Zealand

Tornadoes have torn through towns in New Zealand's North Island causing extensive damage.

Footage of a tornado in Ohope.

Footage of a tornado in Ohope. Source: Facebook: Surf & Sand Ohope

Dozens of homes have been damaged, with trees and powerlines left scattered after tornadoes tore through towns in New Zealand's North Island.

Residents in parts of New Plymouth and the coastal town of Ohope were on Tuesday morning assessing what police have called " vast amounts" of damage caused by a series of twisters in the region.



While no injuries have been reported, authorities say more than 30 properties were left with damaged rooves and fences, and the operators of the Ohope Top 10 Holiday Park holiday park told local media their conference centre had been "blown to pieces".




Residents in the area have been posting footage of the tornado throwing debris as it nears.

"There was a lot of rain and hail and then it stopped and went very quiet - eerie - you could hear the birds tweeting it was that silent," Ohope's Andrea Inman told stuff.co.nz.

"Next thing there was a massive big roar - an incredible sound - and it changed direction in a split second ... You prepare yourself for earthquakes, the possibility of tsunami, but not this. Not that size, it was huge."


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