Shocking moment a tornado rips through a quiet Christchurch suburb before injuring two people
- Video captured the moment a tornado hit Sydenham in New Zealand on Monday
- The twister tore through a local SaveMart, sending debris flying into the air
- Two people who were inside the supermarket were injured and taken to hospital
- Christchurch Weather Updates confirmed at least two tornadoes hit the island
This is the shocking moment a tornado hit a Christchurch suburb, injuring two people.
The twister hit Sydenham, just two km south of Christchurch’s city centre on Monday, tearing the roof off a local SaveMart and sending debris flying into the air.
Two people who were inside the supermarket at the time suffered moderate injuries and were taken to Christchurch Hospital to be treated, The NZ Herald reported.
Video captured the moment a tornado hit Sydenham in New Zealand on Monday
One shocking clip captured the moment the shingles of a building’s roof flew off as the storm ripped through
Video footage shared on social media shows the tornado spiralling in the distance as it touched down in the city.
One shocking clip even captured the moment the shingles of a building’s roof flew off as the storm ripped through.
The New Zealand’s Fire and Emergency service said it had received an influx of calls of residents reporting damage in the area.
A local furniture store owner said she witnessed a nearby fruit and vegetable truck get blown 20 metres away, sending produce ‘flying everywhere.’
The powerful winds then took aim at her own shop leaving the windows of the store smashed.
New Zealand’s Met Service said the tornado was brought on by a severe thunderstorm
‘You could see that the tornado sucked them out, it didn’t blow anything into them. It was like a huge dust storm, I’ve never experienced anything like it,’ Alison Kendall told the publication.
New Zealand’s Met Service said the tornado was brought on by a severe thunderstorm.
Christchurch Weather Updates also confirmed at least two tornadoes had hit the island on Monday including one at sea.
The Sydenham tornado was considered an ‘isolated’ storm, however, it still caused significant damage in the area, officials said.
Director Russell Voice said the region is expected to see more thunder hailstorms and strong winds, but a tornado warning is no longer in effect due to cooling temperatures.