Royal Wakefield's video: 2012-12-06 - VARIOUS - TORNADO HITS AUCKLAND NZ 3 DEAD

Three people are dead, seven in hospital and 150 homes badly damaged after Auckland was smashed by a tornado and torrential rain this afternoon. The tornado, which hit about 12.15pm today, ripped roofs from houses, toppled trees and sent debris flying on to cars. Civil Defence said those killed and injured were believed to have been at the Hobsonville Point school construction site or hit by falling trees. Nearly 250 residents from uninhabitable homes had been given shelter at the Whenuapai Air Force base. Hobsonville Point residents have been ordered to take shelter in their homes with the MetService warning of the potential for further tornadoes. Police set up an operational base at the worst-hit Whenuapai. Ambulance staff reported two deaths from the storm at a school construction site off Hobsonville Rd. A third death was later confirmed. Hobsonville Point Primary School principal Daniel Birch said two construction workers were killed at the site where a secondary school was being built. "There's two schools being built, the primary school site which wasn't in the path of the tornado and the secondary school site where the two workers were killed." The residential centre of the tornado's destruction was Wallingford Way, in Hobsonville; a street lined with defence force state housing. Every house in Wallingford Way is damaged in some form with broken windows, damaged roofs and trees uprooted. Most residents have been evacutaed from the street but army and emergency services continue to work to clear the debris. A resident said they saw wheelie bins and pot plants flying past their windows and were forced to duck for shelter as windows smashed in. Urban Search and Rescue (Usar) members, already in the area for training, have ben diverted to check houses. The Defence Force was cooperating with the response but has not yet deployed personnel. Andy Gummer from St John said: "So far seven people have been transported to North Shore hospital with minor and moderate injuries. SOURCES: Tornado hits Hobsonville http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/8044664/Tornado-hits-Auckland-3-dead Raw footage: Hobsonville tornado aftermath http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/three-dead-homes-destroyed-after-tornado-hits-auckland-5267375/video?vid=5267581 Pictures http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/three-dead-homes-destroyed-after-tornado-hits-auckland-5267375/photos