A tornado has reportedly hit Hobsonville, tearing down trees and ripping panels from the motorway.

Fire, police and ambulance are racing to multiple callouts in Hobsonville and Upper Harbour and it It is understood a number of people may have been injured as a result.

The military are also believed to have been called in to assist.

Police were unable to comment on the situation as they were still being inundated with 111 calls from the Waitakere area.

A Fire Service spokesman said there appeared to be “significant building damage” and a number of people trapped.

“Wallingford Way is one street that has been particularly affected.”

He said Fire Service teams were on the scene with more on the way.

Fire Service spokesperson Scott Osmond said there had been a number of callouts in West Auckland in the past hour due to the wild weather.

A roof had caved in at Mastertrade on Moselle Avenue, Henderson, he said, while there were reports of chimneys being toppled and roofs blown off in Hobsonville.

Callers to Newstalk ZB said an apparent tornado had brought down lights on the motorway and there were “dozens and dozens” of trees on the side of the road.

It hit the Upper Harbour motorway near Whenuapai.

Callers also said that it tore huge wooden panels off the side of the motorway, with heavy rain at the time.

Vector Energy has reported a power outage for the area of Hobsonville, with power not due to return until 2.30pm.

Meanwhile, another Newstalk ZB caller, Barney, has described it as scary weather.

“I’ve just got off at Point Chevalier just for fear of my life pretty much.

“Surface water is terrible, visibility is awful and nobody’s putting their lights on.”

Local resident Jordan Carter said high winds had hit his house in Whenuapai.

The fence had been blown down, trees uprooted and the lid of the spa pool gone, he said
 

 

– nzherald.co.nz