Wow, hard to believe that this happened:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nationa...ado-strikes-Auckland

Stunned shoppers wandered amid cars lying on their sides, pieces of corrugated roofing twisted around them, and trees torn from their roots by a tornado that tore through Auckland.

The twister left at least one person dead and more than 20 adults and children in hospital, one with serious injuries.

Police said a middle-aged man died in an ambulance on the way to hospital, and an Auckland Hospital spokesperson said a 30-year-old man was in a serious but stable condition last night.

St John Ambulance regional operations manager Murray Holt said his officers arrived in Albany, 15 kilometres northwest of Auckland city, to find a "chaotic" scene of overturned cars and critically injured people after the tornado hit about 3pm.

"We've had a number of people with deep cuts, head injuries; flying debris – and when we say flying debris, we've had cars picked up and tossed across the car park.

"We've got cars that have been overturned, roofing iron flying around, and a shed picked up and thrown across the car park. "People were shocked by the suddenness with which it occurred and the ferocity. It was gone as quickly as it arrived, so people were just absolutely bewildered."

Witness Julie Carter described seeing a white car thrown through the air with three children inside it at the Albany Mega Centre.

The children were strapped in their car seats and were rescued unharmed. Ms Carter said another car was picked up in the Pak 'n Save car park and thrown across the road into the car park of the former Placemakers building.

Bronson Reardon was working in the former Placemakers building and saw a man lying on the ground. "He wasn't moving. There was blood coming out of his eyes and ears." Another man was trapped underneath a piece of steel. "Five of us lifted that off him."

Trevor Perkinson was among a group of workmen high on a platform alongside the former Placemakers building in Albany when the tornado bore down on them.

"The bloody thing came straight over the top of us. I told my mate to get down and start running," he said. Debris was flying everywhere. He did not know where to run and was pinned down by a fence "kissing dirt".

His mate fell on top of him. He said he saw a man land in the middle of the road. "He must have got picked up from somewhere and thrown."

Mr Perkinson said one of his bosses looked as if he had broken his leg and another workmate had an open gash on his face. Shontelle Poutu, manager of jewellery store Bling, in the Albany Mega Centre, said: "There was like a slight breeze and we were like, 'Oh wow, that's rather strong' and then all of a sudden you just saw everything flying around and then the fire alarm went off so you really didn't know whether to get in or out."

Just outside the path of destruction, teacher Eleni Carpendale said Pink Batts rained from the sky on to Kauri Park School in Birkdale.

Ad Feedback There were no injuries but the school field and car park were littered with the building materials, she said.

Pink Batts also fell across the harbour in Western Springs.

Kurt Russell said he saw two or three trampolines "go 200 to 300 metres in the air. There is debris everywhere".

Prime Minister John Key said the Government was monitoring the situation and he had offered Auckland Mayor Len Brown any assistance that the city needed.

Northcote-based Cabinet minister Jonathan Coleman had left for Auckland and Mr Key said he would decide this morning whether to go to Auckland.

Forecasters say there is a "slim risk" of more tornadoes in central and South Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Tornadoes are usually measured on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with ratings between 0 and 5. WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan said the Albany twister was probably an EF1 or EF2, with winds ranging between 180kmh and 220kmh.

By contrast, the tornadoes that devastated the United States last week were EF5, more than a kilometre across and vastly more powerful.

"This was a baby compared to what they've had." An Insurance Council spokesperson said insurance companies were surveying the Albany Mega Centre and would know the cost of the tornado damage within three days.

Ten years ago, in May 1991, Albany was hit by a tornado that killed Wayne Stanley-Hunt, destroyed a church and damaged buildings.

Pak 'N Save worker Helena Campbell was baffled when she went searching for her car after the tornado.

She had left the Nissan Primera parked near work, between two other cars, but when she went looking, it was nowhere to be seen.

She eventually found the twisted wreck across the road, almost 300 metres away.

Mrs Campbell was in the office at Pak 'n Save in Albany when the tornado hit. Staff heard a rumbling noise they initially thought was thunder. When it became apparent it was something worse, they were told to leave the building, and Mrs Campbell busied herself comforting customers.

It was not until later that she thought to check on her car.

She has contacted her insurance company and said last night that she was confident it would replace the wreck, although she had a few ideas for it herself.

"Somebody suggested I should put it on Trade Me and I thought, `What a good idea. There's a marketing ploy for you – the first tornado casualty car."'

It was probably some tourist from Alabama that brought one down there , they had so many extra. Their customs people should be more watchful.
I've never been in one and hope I never am !!

quote:

cars lying on their sides, pieces of corrugated roofing twisted around them

In south Auckland this is just a normal day.

Albany is North Auckland TP...

quote:

Originally posted by Carlsen Highway:
Albany is North Auckland TP...

I think that James was making a joke about the over turned cars, etc because of South Aukland's reputation.