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From: Jesse Ferrell (WeatherMatrix) (ferrell{at}weathermatrix.net)
Date: Sun Mar 27 2005 - 20:27:42 EST
<http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/manawatustandard/0,2106,3228245a6407,00.html>
"Tornadoes, lightning and torrential rain wreaked havoc on the western Bay
of Plenty as a fierce storm ripped roofs from buildings, uprooted hundreds
of trees and toppled electricity pylons.
The storm hit yesterday about 8am in Waihi, before smashing its way
southeast during the next five hours.
An employee at the Norske-Skog Tasman paper mill in Kawerau said a
"deafening" tornado ripped through the area about 10.30am, peeling roofs
from buildings and plucking trees from the ground.
Emergency services across the region were inundated with calls to surface
flooding, road blockages and fires. Thousands of Bay of Plenty homes lost
power because of downed power lines and lightning strikes.
High winds blew a furniture truck on to its side on State Highway 2 south
of Te Puke and also brought down two 30-metre to 40-metre Transpower pylons
carrying high-voltage lines near Whakatane.
The active front was caused by a trough of low pressure sweeping east
across the country. It dumped 20 to 30 millimetres of rain on most parts of
Bay of Plenty within two to three hours, but 70mm fell in just one hour
near Tauranga.
Mr Brenstrum said yesterday's tornado did not appear to be as strong as the
one that struck Greymouth on March 10 that caused millions of dollars of
damage.
Meanwhile, heavy rain caused surface flooding and slips at the top of the
South Island, closing SH63 between St Arnaud and Blenheim, SH60 between
Motueka and Takaka, and SH6 south of Motueka. Several homes were evacuated
when a swollen river washed away a bridge. "
--
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Jesse Ferrell - Meteorologist / Webmaster / Founder - WeatherMatrix
10,000 Weather Enthusiasts Can't Be Wrong! www.weathermatrix.net
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