Newcastle residents spent Tuesday picking up the pieces after a ferocious storm tore through the region in less than half an hour on Monday night.
Wind gusts of up to 146km/h smashed the Hunter - the highest ever recorded at Nobbys in spring - when the storm hit just after 8pm.
More than 28,000 lightning strikes were also recorded within 50km of Newcastle, 1110 of which hit the ground, and 22,000 people lost power during the evening.
Related: Wild storm: Shortland bears brunt as roofs ripped off, trees fall on cars and houses
The State Emergency Service worked into Tuesday morning with fresh crews out at daylight after receiving more than 530 calls for assistance across the Hunter. More than 360 of the calls came from Newcastle, with most around Sandgate, Fletcher, Shortland and Maryland.
SES Hunter spokesperson Alex Varley said the vast majority of the calls were for tree damage.
"There were a lot of trees down, a lot of trees over roads," she said.
"There were some whole roofs blown off. We're talking quite significant building damage.
"We did have some leaking roofs but most were wind-related."
There were trees scattered everywhere in Shortland on Tuesday. A large one had been uprooted and crushed a car in King Street, while others fell onto houses and covered roads.
Residents said the winds were the most shocking part of the evening, and struggled to put into words exactly what the gale sounded like when it howled through the area.
A video taken by Shortland resident Kevin York shows what almost looks like a tornado in the sky leading up to thick, dark clouds above.
The winds were strong enough to lift Andrew Houlison's entire double garage and drop it over the fence.
Mr Houlison was at work when his neighbour called to tell him what happened.
"I thought 'how could that happen' and when I got home I realised," he said.
"It's something you don't expect."
David Healy's brick shed was so badly damaged, he had to demolish it.
The tin roof was ripped off and the straps that secured the building wrenched out, which pulled the bricks outwards.
"It was just crazy," he said. "I looked outside and could just see a blur.
"The tin from the top landed right next to the car, which was lucky.
"The back windows on the house started bending in and the trampoline ended up across the road."
Katy White was home with her two dogs when the storm came through.
"I was putting some clothes away and I thought I better move away from the window," she said.
"I went to the centre of the house. I was holding the poor dogs - they were terrified.
The roof and walls were ripped off their back verandah and landed on the power lines in their front yard. The back corner of the house also partly collapsed.
"It was pretty terrifying," Ms White said. "We always get strong winds but not like this."
The SES has advised all residents who are yet to report damage to do so sooner rather than waiting, to help with resource allocation.
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