Tornado smashes car windows, cuts woman's arm on Kapiti Coast

A woman was cut by flying glass when an apparent tornado smashed through her car's rear window, sending stones and debris hurtling across a Kapiti Coast car park as witnesses scrambled for cover.

Mandy Butler was with her partner in the Paraparaumu car park when the tornado tore through at about 1pm, forcing them to duck for cover inside their car.

She said the tornado ripped through the area for about 10 seconds, pelting cars and people with debris.

She was cut on the arm by glass from her smashed rear window.