“A tree fell on our house”: Locals recount storm chaos

Reports of trees uprooted, garages blown away and fences down have been flooding in from across the district. 

1XX news spoke with Whakatāne local Kelly Taylor who had a tree fall onto the roof of her house, while she and family from Ōhope were inside.  

Taylor said her family from Ōhope had evacuated to her house, believing it would be safer than their own home.

At 2pm, during the height of the storm, the group got a fright.

"We noticed a big gust and a garden shed flew over into the neighbours next to ours, smashed their car's windscreen, and then flew into the dividing fence between us and them."

She said her husband Michael went out to hold the shed down until the neighbours returned home from picking up their son.

While he was outside, Taylor went into the bedroom.

"I went into our bedroom, which is at the back of the house, and heard a bit of a thud.

"A seven-metre tree had fallen on top of the house."

Inside, everyone was shaken and concerned about the damage.

"I've never felt a gust like that before, ever — when it swirled around the house like that."

Taylor said she called the fire brigade to assess the tree, and it was deemed safe to stay on the house overnight.

The following day, an arborist was called to remove the tree, and she said there was only minor damage to the roof. 

Despite the wind damage throughout Whakatāne, Taylor said, "we're very blessed that we didn't have a lot of rain that came with it."