Tornado kills 1 in New Zealand
Source: Agencies |
May 4, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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A TORNADO yesterday ripped across part of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, upturning cars and sending debris slicing through the air, witnesses and news reports said. At least one person was killed and about 20 injured, a hospital official said.
The swirling dark-gray column of air and cloud cut a 5 kilometer path across the Auckland suburb of Albany at mid afternoon, tearing off roofing iron, flattening trees and tossing vehicles around, police and witnesses said.
"There were kids in a car which turned upside down and they had to get help," said Hamish Blair, whose golf supplies store was in the hardest-hit area. "There's probably six or seven seriously damaged cars, and I saw cars flying off the ground about 30 meters in the air."
The tornado first touched down in Albany and then passed through neighboring Birkenhead. Most of the serious damage was in Albany, where a shopping mall, a large hardware store and a supermarket were hit. Radio New Zealand reported that the roof of the Mega Center mall in Albany collapsed.
Paul Patton, a spokesman for North Shore Hospital, said one person had been killed and at least 20 injured.
Tornados are not uncommon in New Zealand, particularly on North Island, where Auckland lies, but tend to be smaller than those in the US Midwest.
The swirling dark-gray column of air and cloud cut a 5 kilometer path across the Auckland suburb of Albany at mid afternoon, tearing off roofing iron, flattening trees and tossing vehicles around, police and witnesses said.
"There were kids in a car which turned upside down and they had to get help," said Hamish Blair, whose golf supplies store was in the hardest-hit area. "There's probably six or seven seriously damaged cars, and I saw cars flying off the ground about 30 meters in the air."
The tornado first touched down in Albany and then passed through neighboring Birkenhead. Most of the serious damage was in Albany, where a shopping mall, a large hardware store and a supermarket were hit. Radio New Zealand reported that the roof of the Mega Center mall in Albany collapsed.
Paul Patton, a spokesman for North Shore Hospital, said one person had been killed and at least 20 injured.
Tornados are not uncommon in New Zealand, particularly on North Island, where Auckland lies, but tend to be smaller than those in the US Midwest.
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