Residents in Waikanae, north of Wellington, report a short, sharp tornado knocked over fences and snapped trees in half.

The local fire service confirmed it sent crews to the area around Te Moana Rd.

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Witnesses said they heard a loud wind, followed by trees swaying furiously, but that it passed within about 30 seconds, some time around 7pm.

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"If it had gone on any longer, I'd have been worried," Robyn Mourie said.

Rose Ansell, 13, saw the aftermath of branches coming off trees, and fences from the Kapiti Expressway construction site on Te Moana Rd knocked over.

"Some of the debris was all the way to the beach."

James Bishop was driving through Waikanae to Otaki when "visibility got bad and it felt really loud, so I knew something wasn't right".

He came across debris when he turned into Te Moana Rd and saw the tornado had ripped through the Waikanae Beach golf club.

"There was debris on the road, temporary fencing had come down, and safety cones scattered."



A motorist passing by posted a picture to the NZ Stormchasers Facebook page, saying they witnessed tree debris and a messed-up work site.

Another Waikanae resident, who lives near Nga Manu nature reserve, described the wind as deafening.

"I heard it more than I felt it. You couldn't get away from it."