Sudden dust devils swirled over the Western Spring surface today where thousands of Pasifika Festival goers attended to conclude the 2 days biggest multi Pacific cultural festival in the world.
Dust devil is described as spinning columns of air, seen with dirt suck off the ground and its strength is weaker than tornado.
The 30 meters cloud of smoke that spun up from the ground and rose steeply to the sky was strong enough to tear off banners and stall decorations.
3 News report quoted Dylan Keating, a witness, saying “We all turned around and this dust devil touched down and jumped over and continued on carving its way through people scattering out of the way – people banners and signs flying all around the place – and then it disappeared and came back a bit, this time stronger.”
“It carried on a sign over there and a whole lot more dust,” witness Matthew McFarlane told the Television News.
In December 2012 New Zealand MetService presumed that it was a “dust devil” that struck Cornwell in Central Otago ripping off two house roofs and uprooted a large tree.
Featured image: 3news.co.nz
