WELLINGTON — Tornadoes continued to batter New Zealand, with one hitting north of Wellington, the nation’s capital, early Tuesday, lifting roofs off houses and injuring one person, and a second tornado touching down further north.
Wellington Fire and Emergency said in a statement that at least four houses were damaged, roofs were blown off and at least one house was lifted from the pile.
New Zealand media organization the New Zealand Herald also reports that a teenager is in hospital after the building he slept in was destroyed.
Fire and Emergency also confirmed that a second small tornado hit Taranaki, which is on the west coast of the country’s North Island, earlier on Tuesday, damaging more homes.
The tornadoes follow two days of wild New Zealand weather with about 10 homes in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, currently uninhabitable following a tornado on Sunday and further damage caused by tornadoes in the northern part of the South Island on Monday.
The country’s weather forecaster, Metservice, warns there could be more severe weather later on Tuesday, including tornadoes in parts of the North Island.
Tornadoes are relatively rare in New Zealand. REUTERS
New Zealand’s lower North Island has been hit by tornadoes
