Surprise tornado shakes up Waikato residents
19 April 2006
By TAMARA PENNIKET



Baz Lowe lost his roof when a 50-metre wide tornado hit farms southeast of Leamington yesterday. The tornado left a 2km trail of damaged sheds, fences, trees and overturned machinery.

Mr Lowe, a drystock farmer in Redoubt Rd, saw an olive tree slam into his house and break windows just as his roof blew off about 1pm. 'The door blew in, we jumped out of the way of flying glass, then we heard our roof go. It was frightening.'

Mr Lowe and his friend Ian McDonald saw sparks fly as the corrugated iron roof landed on power lines. 'Half the roof is gone and most of the chimney is in the swimming pool,' Mr Lowe said. Firefighters covered Mr Lowe's roof but it was about five hours before power was restored.

Neighbour John Boyd saw the tornado go over Mr Lowe's house and head toward his own. 'It was scary, it missed, but the house was shaking and stuff was going everywhere.'

Helen Watt's Maungatautari Rd farm lost several sheds. 'I could see the rain come, it was really heavy, then debris was falling everywhere.'

The MetService was surprised a tornado had hit but said a lot of rain fell in a narrow path in the Waikato yesterday.