Severe weather and a reported mini-tornado has caused extensive damage to property in North Canterbury tonight.
Fire service shift manager Andrew Norris said a "cluster of houses" in Amberley, 50km north of Christchurch, had been badly damaged about 6.30pm.
There were reports that the damage was caused by a tornado, but that had not been confirmed, he said.
"We've got one house that's almost lost it's roof completely [and] another house that's got a damaged roof and windows blown in."
There is also a "cluster of houses" nearby which had "varying degrees of damage". Fire fighters were at the scene but had yet to confirm the scale of the damage, Mr Norris said.
Five additional units are also on the way.
There were no reports of injury, Mr Norris said.
The storm, which moved up from South Canterbury, had since blown out to sea.
Earlier, strong winds caused damage to a roof under repairs at a Dunedin home.
Southern communications shift manager Karl Patterson said firefighters were sent to secure loose roofing iron at a property in Musselburgh shortly after 3pm.
The roof was being repaired so parts of it had not been secured and became loose in the wind, he said. No one was hurt.
