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Winds ravaging Otago this afternoon have lifted the roof off the Four Square supermarket in Tapanui, leaving the store closed until further notice.

Photos from the scene show the roof partially crumpled on top of the building.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has declined to comment on the specific incident at the private property, citing privacy reasons, but confirmed that there have been calls reporting at least 19 roofs lifting across Otago this afternoon.

The supermarket posted on Facebook, urging the public to stay away from the scene until it is secure.

Severe winds have torn the roof off the Tapanui Four Square. Photo / Supplied

No injuries have been reported so far.

The country has been buffeted by strong winds and rain, causing widespread damage across multiple regions.

Southern District Police have urged motorists against non-essential travel, with debris blocking a number of roads.

A roof was blown off a building south of Oxford. Photo / Mike Thorpe

Detective Sergeant Hamish Fraser says a number of power lines and trees have come down in strong winds.

Clinton woman Jean Anderson, whose roof has also been ripped off, said: “Just hoping it doesn’t rain too much and that we can get a tarp or something up.”

”Also, the power line has come adrift from the end of the house so that’s also going to be a pain - but we’ve had plenty of offers of spare beds, and a spare house even, so we’ll have somewhere to stay if things get worse."

23 October, 2025 Three cars parked at Dunedin's Caledonian sports ground have been damaged by falling branches Extreme winds are causing mayhem in the South Island with power outages, trees down, and bush fires. New Zealadn Herald photogrpah by Ben Tomsett

MetService issued red strong wind warnings across much of the South Island’s eastern regions and southern parts of the North Island.

Gusts of up to 150km/h are expected in exposed areas of the Canterbury High Country, with Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains forecast to reach 140km/h until late afternoon.

Across the South Island, heavy rain warnings remain in place, with some areas expected to receive up to 150mm of rain on top of previous rainfall.

The storm has caused widespread damage: trees have been uprooted in Hurunui, caravans flipped in Culverden, and multiple roofs lifted, including one at a home in Clinton, South Otago.

Authorities in Clutha and Grey districts have urged residents to conserve water as water treatment plants experience outages.

Local councils have closed parks, libraries, and community facilities, and emergency operations centres have been activated to monitor impacts.

Residents have been advised to avoid travel due to fallen trees, downed power lines, and debris on roads.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.