Source: Radio New Zealand
A Wellington family has been forced out of their home after a large branch flattened their roof in this week’s vicious storm.
William Ray, an RNZ employee and Johnsonville resident, said his family were lucky to leave when they did, with the branch now precariously leaning against his house.
Ray said his neighbours have five big macrocarpa trees standing at the property’s boundary, and about six branches snapped in fierce winds on Sunday night or Monday morning.
The winds that struck Wellington were the strongest in a decade, tearing down power lines down across paddocks, roads, and over people’s cars and houses.
Wellington resident William Ray said a massive branch flattened the roof of his house during this week’s storm, forcing his family to evacuate. SUPPLIED
Ray said throughout the night he heard the branches overhanging his roof “smacking down” against the house.
“It was like having a machine gun constantly banging against the roof, and I was just lying awake, getting more and more nervous.”
He moved his wife and newborn into the lounge, fearing damage. Thirty minutes later, one massive branch came down.
“There was just this huge crash when it hit the house, the whole house shook.”
Ray said he considered escaping the house with his family during the night, but looked outside to see branches lying either side of the car, realising it would be too dangerous to even run to the car.
The branch went through the roof of the home. SUPPLIED
Waking on the Monday morning Ray found the big branch had flattened the roof over the bedroom, smashing up eaves on one side, and ripping off all the guttering.
Branches were still coming down as Ray inspected the house – including one lying on his front doorstep.
“It very nearly squished me, it was pretty spooky to see.”
An arborist he called in the aftermath inspected the tree and informed Ray the family can’t stay there while it was unstable.
The family would be out of their house for at least a few days. SUPPLIED
Ray said the family was likely out of their house until Monday, and while the incident had been disruptive with a five-month-old, he was thankful to be able to stay with family.
Insurance would likely cover the damage to the house, though Ray was still trying to confirm what would happen with the macrocarpa trees.
“I don’t really know how things work with tree law, I’ve been doing a lot of tree law googling, recently.
“It’s a shame to see the trees go, they’re lovely, beautiful trees but I’m not prepared to get squished by them.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
