Fire and Emergency NZ is responding to reports of a tornado ripping through Paeroa - with eyewitnesses claiming there has been extensive damage to property and vehicles and more than 1000 homes in the area left without power.

One fire truck was sent to the Paeroa RV Centre on Coronation St, Paeroa at 1.58pm.

The caretaker of the caravan park and holiday park told the Herald residents of the park were terrified as the tornado lifted the roof of the campground’s hall.

“I saw it coming from over the back of the thing [hall], it came through the trees and ripped branches off when it just smashed the hall. It was really scary, bits and pieces were flying everywhere.”

Two people were inside the hall at the time, he said, “and they were terrified”.

He said nobody was injured, but there was quite a bit to clean up.

“It’s just a matter of going around seeing what’s what.”

Many residents in the Hauraki township reported huge thunder, lightning, hail and wind before the twister struck. There are reports that more than one tornado hit Paeroa and surrounds.

Hauraki District Council said on Facebook: “Batten down the hatches and take care out there. We’re hearing reports of wild winds in Paeroa, power outages in Ngatea and a tree blocking some of the road in the Karangahake Gorge - no official confirmation of a road closure at this stage. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know anything.”

On its website, PowerCo listed 595 properties are without power in Paeroa, and 947 without power in Ngatea.

Powerco customers in Ngātea, Kerepehi, Paeroa and surrounding areas have been urged to stay well clear of downed or low power lines after reports of the tornado.

”To stay safe, it’s important if people come across downed or low power lines, they keep well clear and call Powerco’s emergency line on 0800 27 27 27,” head of network operations Caz Haydon said.

”We’ve had multiple emergency jobs come through since just after 1.45pm, including reports of lines down.

”Our crews will work to make repairs once it is safe to do so.”

‘It seemed like the end of the world for a moment’

Paeroa resident Erik Page described a vortex of leaves the “size of a rugby field” passing near his property.

Page’s brother, David, captured the tail end of the tornado on video as it headed for town, where he understood there was extensive damage.

“It seemed like the end of the world for a moment, there was no time to do anything. It wasn’t the wind we heard first, it was the rain being pushed by it that smashed us,” David Page said.

“But there’s gentle rain and no wind now. It’s strange because you would expect something like this during a bad storm - but there is no storm now. It’s surreal how quiet it is now.”

He said he checked on his neighbour, who was trapped by trees felled by the storm.

“He’s in shock,” Page said.

‘Never been in anything like it in my life’

Auckland resident Liz Waters says she was travelling through the Karangahake Gorge when she encountered a “very, very unusual dark cloud moving at a great rate”.

State Highway 2 through Karangahake Gorge is closed due to a fallen tree blocking lanes in both directions.

“We were just hit by wind and a tree came down and then a caravan drove past us with a tree wedged between the car and the caravan.”

“We slowly came to a standstill and up ahead were a whole lot of trees that had come down on a truck that was trying to extricate itself.”

She did not believe that anyone was hurt.

“My husband was about two minutes in front of us and he’s lost his window wipers,” she said.

“It was very very intense and short-lived. It was horrendously strong winds, very erratic, and then carnage and then it was over. I’ve never been in anything like it in my life.”

Waters said she passed through the main road about six kilometres north of Paeroa within 30 seconds of the trees falling.

She said there also appeared to be cars trapped in the section where the clump of trees had come down.

Traffic was now diverting through a car park to get around the fallen trees.

She said she spoke to her husband shortly after having his windscreen hit.

He was one or two minutes ahead of us on the road. He rang and I asked, ‘what was that?’ and he said, “I don’t know but I’ve lost a wiper and I don’t know what else happened to the car, I just kept going.”

Reports of ‘extensive damage’

Paeroa resident Paula Thorburn said she heard a loud noise and saw a section of twisted roof land across the road from where she was sheltering.

”It has now been cleared to the farm driveway next door...no idea where it’s come from but was seen flying over Washington Square which is about 500m away.

“It sounds worse out on Puke Rd side of town which I guess is possibly where the roof originated.”

MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said it is possible a tornado has hit given there were several thunderstorm cells over the area.

Air NZ plane struck by lightning

Air New Zealand has been forced to cancel two of its flights after a plane was struck by lightning after departing Auckland, Newshub reports.

Air New Zealand’s flight NZ429 left Auckland bound for Wellington on Wednesday when it was hit by lightning in mid-air at about 1pm.

As a result, the plane was forced to turn around.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson told Newshub that lightning strikes aren’t uncommon and their pilots are prepared for them.

High winds close lanes on Auckland Habour Bridge, lower speed limits

Waka Kotahi NZTA lowered speed limits and closed some lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge because of high winds this afternoon.

Commuters who spoke to the Herald described peals of thunder overhead as traffic backed up from the bridge to Spaghetti Junction.

The transport agency alerted the closures and speed restrictions at 1.30pm today.

The lanes had since been reopened.

Motorcyclists and drivers of high-sided vehicles have been warned to take care, while Waka Kotahi advised those motorists to use State Highways 16 or 18.

- More to come