Two killed as tornado hits New Zealand's biggest city

A tornado ripped through New Zealand's largest city today, killing at least two people and injuring 20 more.

The swirling, dark-grey column cut a three-mile path across the suburb of Albany in Auckland on North Island during the afternoon, tearing off roofs, flattening trees and overturning cars. "There were kids in a car which turned upside down and they had to get help," said Hamish Blair, whose golf supplies shop was in the hardest-hit area.

"There are probably six or seven seriously damaged cars and I saw cars flying off the ground about 100 feet in the air."

Deborah Hay said she was at home upstairs when she saw the tornado coming up her drive. "I realised there was something going on because my dog was terrified," she said.

"I tried to shut all the windows but there was all sorts of stuff flying everywhere. Someone else's roof came falling into our yard."

The tornado touched down in Albany, taking the roof off a shopping mall and destroying a large hardware shop and a supermarket, then passed through neighbouring Birkenhead. Auckland Mayor Len Brown said that the death toll could rise. "We've had two confirmed fatalities - it's absolutely disastrous," he told reporters. Police warned people to stay indoors until the weather settled.

An earthquake on February 22 devastated the South Island city of Christchurch and killed at least 169 people.