Monday, November 18, 2019
A tornado has left two people injured and buildings damaged in Christchurch today.
The tornado hit around the same time as hail rained down on the city today afternoon.
Power connection of over a thousand homes was snapped for a brief period and many trees were found uprooted. Scattered debris contaminated with asbestos was found in many localities.
The weather suddenly changed around 1.30 pm, with large hailstones started pelting the city soon after that, along with thunder and strong winds.
The temperature also dropped following the storm. Met Service confirmed the formation of a tornado. As per Fire and Emergency services, a roof collapsed at a SaveMart in Sydenham because of the tornado that left a trail of damage from central suburbs to the city’s coastal areas.
Two people who got injured were inside the building at that time. They were rushed to Christchurch Hospital with moderate injuries.
According to Fire and Emergency assistant area commander Mike Bowden, several properties lost roofing.
Few eyewitnesses said that they found debris flying in the sky and swirling around.
Part of the roof of a vehicle dealership on Wordsworth Street was ripped off by the force of the tornado while debris was found scattered down the road outside, which has now been closed for the cleanup.
Fire and Emergency personnel said that they received several calls from people who were affected by tornado as they asked for help as their houses w were found torn off and air conditioning units fell off buildings.
As per authorities, the transport network was not affected by the storm.
The Christchurch City Council said it had deputed contractors to determine any potential damage from the tornado.
Contractors have been asked to check streets and parks now that the worst of the storm appeared to have passed.
Motorists have been told to take extra caution due to the conditions.
Tags: christchurch, tornado
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