The Greymouth District Mayor says the damage done by this morning's mini-tornado will run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Kevin Brown has been surveying the suburb of Cobden which was hit by a twister just after 4am.
Residents report hearing a large roar and then their homes began to shake.
Some homes have been severely damaged with rooves blown off and windows broken. Debris litters the streets. Power was knocked out for many residents but has since been restored. Mr Brown says he was surprised by what he saw when he arrived at the scene. He says he lives on the other side of the river and while they had some heavy wind, it was nothing compared to that suffered in Cobden.