10 Jul 2011

More bad weather on the way

9:48 pm on 10 July 2011

More unsettled weather will strike many parts of the country overnight and into Monday.

A front that bought snow, rain and thunderstorms moved away on Sunday but another is imminent.

A MetService forecaster, Paul Mallinson, says they are waiting for a front approaching from the Tasman.

He says it will move onto the South Island on Sunday evening and severe gales will develop from Gisborne across to Taranaki, down to Wellington and all along the eastern side of the South Island.

Strong wind warnings are in place from Southland and Fiordland up to the central North Island, from Taranaki across to Hawke's Bay and Gisborne.

Tornado clean up

Two or three houses remained without power overnight on Sunday in the Kapiti Coast town of Waikanae, after a tornado on Saturday.

The small tornado swept in from the Tasman sea at about 4pm, injuring three people, bringing down trees and powerlines, scattering roofing iron and overturning a van.

One of the injured was taken to Wellington hospital with spinal injuries.

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In the worst-affected area, Huia Street in Waikanae, one house has two 30 metre pine trees embedded in its roof.

A second house has completely vanished from view under a pile of demolished pine and gum trees.