IRN
The Greymouth
District Mayor says the damage done by this morning's mini-tornado
will run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Kevin Brown
has been surveying the suburb of Cobden which was hit by a twister
just after 4am.
Residents
report hearing a large roar and then their homes began to shake.
Some homes
have been severely damaged with rooves blown off and windows broken.
Debris litters
the streets. Power was knocked out for many residents but has
since been restored.
Mr Brown says
he was surprised by what he saw when he arrived at the scene.
He says he
lives on the other side of the river and while they had some heavy
wind, it was nothing compared to that suffered in Cobden.
Mr Brown says
Greymouth residents have to be prepared for twisters, because
they live close to the Tasman Sea.
He says there
was one similar to this morning's about two years ago, however
it was not as serious.
The Fire Service
is being praised for its efforts in the aftermath of what must
have been a "very frightening experience" for some residents,
says Mr Brown.
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