A Cobden resident called emergency services just before 1am to report damage to their house. File photo Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
A tornado that ripped through the Greymouth suburb of Cobden overnight damaged about four houses and the roof of Cobden School's swimming pool.
A Cobden resident caught in the tornado called police to report damage to their own home only to realise the neighbour's roof had come off during the call.
A police spokesperson said they received a call from a resident of Fox Street at about 12.50am to report blown-in windows. While they were on the phone to police, they saw the damage to the adjacent property.
Greymouth Mayor Tania Gibson said she had been surveying damage to her district after the tornado struck the town amid heavy rains across the West Coast last night.
The homeowner who lost his roof was keeping a stiff upper lip as he vacated his home to stay with nearby locals, Gibson said.
"He was holding up quite well. He was very stoic about it but [it's] certainly not something you want to have happen [early] in the morning," she said.
Further down the coast, South Westland had multiple slips and road closures and a busload of people had to be billeted out to residents during the night.
Nearly 70mm of rain fell over Haast during heavy rain across much of the West Coast of the South Island.
State Highway 6 was closed in three places, between Ross and Haast, due to slips and flooding.
When the mayor spoke to RNZ, just after 10am, power had still not been fully restored to the area.
"Everybody is on-site getting the power back on, all the weather warnings have been lifted, so hopefully we're out of the woods in that respect," Gibson said.
Gibson praised the police and Fire and Emergency who had been assisting residents and ensuring people were safe overnight and in the following morning.
"Everyone's safe and well and that's the main thing," Gibson said.
MetService is forecasting settled weather for the coming days but said a cyclone forming near the Coral Sea could impact northern parts of the country.
MetService meteorologist Jessie Owen said a front that moved up the country on Sunday would clear the North Island on Monday night taking with it humid air that had brought heavy rain to northern areas of the country.
However, a tropical low, expected to develop into a cyclone over the next couple of days, could track towards the Far North next weekend.
The cyclone could bring strong winds, heavy rain, and large swells on eastern coasts if it passes close to the North Island.