The Tyack region was hit by a mini-tornado on Thursday afternoon, December 21. A rare and worrying scene that lasted around 5 minutes, but left significant damage to homes, with the City and the NHDC area of Tyack the hardest hit.
Damage caused by the high winds included damaged roofs, blown-out windows and doors, and blown-out trees and high-voltage lines, leading to power cuts. Residents were taken by surprise by the unusual scene. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
Following the incident, technicians from the Central Electricity Board (CEB) moved in to restore power. The MFRS fire department and police were also on site to assess the situation.
A forecaster at the Vacoas meteorological station explained that this type of phenomenon is caused by unstable convective clouds. It occurs when the low-level air is warmer and more humid than that aloft. This creates a funnel-like situation that can last between 20 and 60 seconds, with fairly strong wind gusts.
