Some properties and businesses have been damaged after a tornado ripped through Greymouth late night on 20 March, 2023. Photo: Facebook / Grey District Mayor Tania Gibson
A number of businesses in Greymouth have been damaged after a tornado tore through the West Coast town late on Monday night.
Grey District Mayor Tania Gibson said no-one was injured in the tornado, but a number of buildings and businesses were affected.
Council's building inspectors will be assessing the damage and helping where they can.
Greenfield Motors owner Ross Brown said the tornado cut powerlines, smashed windows, and damaged a number of cars.
"It pulled the roof off a derelict building behind us which had been burnt out about six months ago ... it got picked up and came over the roof of our building and then went through the car yard, some cars have been hit and some haven't," Brown said.
"Between our rental fleet and the car yard, probably a dozen to 15 cars that have got damage of some form or another to them, and the building has a couple of broken windows, broken gutters and whatnot."
A digger had arrived to pull down the rest of the burnt out building, Brown said.
"Pity they didn't do it when the building first caught fire six months ago, we wouldn't have had half the problems."
Greenfield Motors was without power on Tuesday morning after nearby powerlines were damaged, and staff were busy cleaning up the mess and documenting the damage for insurance.
Neighbouring business Honda Farm, Trail and Road got a call from police late on Monday night after their Tainui Street business was hit, owner Paula McCobb said.
They got into town before midnight to assess the damage and begin the clean up.
"We found three smashed windows, one where a big branch or a big piece of wood had gone through the door and we found a lot of debris around everywhere on the roads," McCobb said.
"We helped a neighbouring business that had been damaged with lots of iron from a building that had burnt down last year."
The shop was open as usual for business on Tuesday and they were grateful for the community that had rallied around to support them, McCobb said.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said it was called out to one business in Greymouth on Monday night to assist with loose roofing iron following the tornado.
