A trail of destruction has been left behind in a small Taranaki coastal village after what is thought to have been a tornado ripped through, leaving baches without roofs.
On Saturday afternoon, after coming back to his Awakino bach from whitebaiting, Deane Riddick looked outside to see what he says was a tornado roll through.
"A lot of rain coming through, bit stormy outside, and next thing we know the wind got quite intense," he told Newshub.
"It sounded like a bit of a thunderstorm coming through, and then as we looked out the windows, the tornado started heading up the river."
The strong twister tore iron, timber, and pink batts from several baches, leaving onlookers stunned.
"A bunch of iron and timber and all sorts of bits and pieces up in the air and a bit of water from the river.
"My wife… was a little bit beside herself but we were just in awe watching this thing roll up the river. It was quite incredible to see."
Riddick said he knew of three properties affected.
"The roof from the first house has ended up in the river… there was debris everywhere and pink batts strewn throughout the trees."
Fire and Emergency has confirmed to Newshub that no one was injured in the weather event, but Riddick said one couple who own one of the damaged baches will now have to stay the night at the local pub.
Riddick said that's where most of the community is on Saturday night, shocked by what happened in the afternoon, but settling in for the rugby.
Further south, flooding closed roads in Levin and one property was swamped by sewage after heavy rain on Saturday.
Newshub.
