Logan family left homeless after tornado rips roof of their home

A Logan family-of-six have been left homeless for a second time after a tornado decimated their home, ripping off the roof and sending it smashing into their car.

A family of six from Logan who spent a year living in temporary accommodation after they lost their roof in 2018 have suffered the same fate and worse in Tuesday’s tornado.

The Manoa family, five adults and one child, were all home in the afternoon when the back side of their roof was blown off and penetrated their car in the backyard below.

Mele Manoa was taking an afternoon nap when the sound of the roof falling woke her.

“I heard a loud bang, and now I know that was the roof going straight through the car,” she said.

“Other than that, though, all I could hear was rainfall.”

Hulita Manoa inspects the damage caused by Tuesday’s supercell storm. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Ms Manoa said she was “in shock” after seeing the devastating aftermath of the storm, with her home flooded after parts of the roof were blown off.

“It really didn’t seem like it was going to be that bad, we originally just thought it was a bit of rainfall.

But the Manoa’s house is uninhabitable; the living room is flooded, the backside of the house is without a roof, household items trashed, walls ripped apart and a hot fridge with expired food.

Her mother, Hulita Manoa, said she felt “lucky no one was hurt”, but was frustrated this was the second time her family had been put through storm damage.

After moving from New Zealand to Queensland in 1999, Mrs Manoa and her husband purchased the house on Lennox Court in 2000.

In 2018, the family lost almost their entire roof after a tree in the backyard fell into their home.

The roof off the Manoa family’s home. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The family spent a year in temporary accommodation while the house was restored.

“We put in new roofing, did guttering, built a new patio, restored the entire house,” she said.

“I keep thinking to myself, maybe we should move, this place isn’t for us.”

The family removed the tree that caused the damage, but were forced to leave another in the front lawn.

On Tuesday, that fell into their neighbour’s yard and narrowly missed their home.

“We were quoted $7000 at the time so we couldn’t afford to have it removed,” said Mrs Manoa.

“I’m so grateful it did not cause too much damage to our neighbours and they are all safe, that is the main thing.”

Mia Tran lives next door with her husband and three children.

The Manoa family has been forced into temporary accommodation. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Her son, Simon Nguyen, 25, said it was “a massive shock” to see the tree come so close to missing their house.

“It’s shocking, definitely, but in a way we are lucky as well it didn’t hit our house.”

Mrs Tran said she was home cooking when she heard the tree fall from her neighbours into their side yard.

“Rain was pouring down heavily so I locked all the doors and windows but heard the tree straight away,” she said.

“I feel sorry for our neighbours because we know this isn’t the first time they’ve had storm damage.”

Mrs Manoa said their main priority right now was securing housing with cooking facilities.

The aftermath of the storm in Logan. Picture: Zak Simmonds

On Tuesday night after the storm passed their family stayed in a travel lodge, but they could not afford to pay for everyone.

Her daughter stayed with a member from their local church and her son slept downstairs in the destroyed house.

“Insurance has been co-operative but we are concerned about the short term for housing and food,” she said.

“Any place at all we don’t mind, we just want somewhere where we can do our own cooking and see each other, especially at this time,” she said.

“We want to be together.”

Mrs Manoa was a registered nurse but resigned late last year.

“Now that I am no working we can’t afford takeaway every day so we want a place we can cook.”