New Zealand police have released the names of the three construction workers killed by falling concrete slabs during a tornado in Auckland's west on Thursday.
They were Massey residents Tom Stowers, 42, Brendon Johnson, 22, and Tuakau resident Keith Langford, 60.
Seven other people were injured, with four still in hospital on Friday morning.
Accompanying a thunderstorm, the tornadoes and gales smashed through houses in Hobsonville and Whenuapai, lifting roofs and hurling debris through windows.
WeatherWatch estimates the tornado may have had winds in excess of 200km/h, based on eyewitness reports and the extent of the damage.
Police and Civil Defence moved into a recovery phase on Friday morning but were yet to decide when to lift a cordon around Hobsonville.
Waitemata Police District Commander Superintendent Bill Searle says Civil Defence is working as quickly as possible to establish which houses are safe for their owners to return to, and asked for residents to be patient.
About 250 people were evacuated from their homes after the winds slammed into Hobsonville and Whenuapai, although just 11 spent the night at Whenuapai Air Base, with others staying in motels or with family or friends.
Auckland's Civil Defence boss Clive Manly told Radio New Zealand that early estimates of the damage were about $NZ11 million ($A8.79 million).
On Friday morning, contractors were removing debris from roads, while building inspectors completed 147 assessments on Thursday and were expected to complete the remainder before Friday lunchtime.
'There are a number of properties with severe damage so (residents) will not be getting back into those properties for some time but just how many we're still ascertaining,' Mr Manly said.
Prime Minister John Key will inspect the disaster zone in his Helensville electorate on Friday with Civil Defence Minister Chris Tremain, as will Labour leader David Shearer.
Mayor Len Brown says locals are traumatised and the area looks like a bomb site.
'That tornado had gone into that small community of 200-odd houses, and it had just gone around it like being in the tub of a washing machine,' he said.
About 635 homes were still without power in the eastern-most part of Hobsonville and around Whenuapai Air Base on Friday morning.
While poor weather could hamper the clean-up operation on Friday, MetService says there won't be a repeat of the tornadoes.
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