Tornado Sweeps Through Awakeri, Damaging Homes and Uprooting Roofs

A tornado is believed to have struck the rural Awakeri area, just off State Highway 30 near Whakatāne, this afternoon. The storm left several homes damaged, roofing torn from buildings, and local residents shaken by powerful and sudden winds.

Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) received reports of a tornado in Awakeri around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday. The reported funnel of wind passed through multiple properties along SH 30, lifting roofs and causing loose roofing iron to become airborne. Four fire crews from Edgecumbe and Whakatāne were dispatched to assist with damage control.

Despite the damage, no serious injuries have been reported. Ambulance and Hato Hone St John teams also attended, but their assistance was not required for any major medical issues. Several homeowners reported roofing iron or other materials flying into their paddocks. One resident told reporters roofing sheets “came over the top of our house and landed in our paddock.”

Trees, wires or structures may have also been damaged, but local power was reportedly intact or disruptions minimal (officials have not indicated major infrastructure failure). Meteorologists from MetService noted that an “isolated thunderstorm” was occurring in the Whakatāne area around the time of the reports. A funnel cloud producing a short‑lived tornado is considered quite possible.

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