THE WEATHER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18101, 17 June 1924, Page 9

THE WEATHER.

STORM ON EAST COAST.

KAIKOURA ROAD DAMAGED.

MOTORISTS 1 MISADVENTURE

(SPKIiI 10 "THI rSBSS."J BLENHEIM, June IG. The storm that raged the East Coast during the week-end is described as the meat violent ever experienced there so far as living memory can go back. Setting in on Friday morning, it reached its height early yesterday morning, when the elements maintained a veritable pandemonium of fury and the sea battered tho entire coast line with fearsome force. Mr F. Mogridge, who has returned to Blenheim after spending the weekend r-t Kaikoura, says that the scene there was an awe-inspiring one, the waves rushing across the bay literally mountains high with the galo catching the crests and spreading the sptime for miles in a great cloud of fesun. The launchmen at the fishing wharf had an anxious time. One launch broke away from her moorings and was crashed up on the beach, and six to eight dinghies were smashed to matchwood. Considerable damage was done to the wharf and the concrete balustrading. A team of Culverden footballers, who played Kaikoimi. on Saturday, had a sensational experience at ten o'clock on Sunday morning while on their way home along the coast road. When they got past the Kohutara Hvor they were informed that the road ahead had been washed away and they would not be able to proceed further than the Kaikoura side of the first tunnel. Deciding to judge for themselves the party, which included some ladies, left their car and walked to a point on the road at least fifteen feet above the beach, where they stood watching the tremendous seas. Elevated as was l their, position, they soon found that it w-.is a dangerous one. A huge green roller overwhelmed the party, and one of the ladies, carried off her feet, was, swept over the parapet. Another second she .would have disappeared into the boiling surf, but her husband succeeded in grabbing her leg and hauling her back to safety. Another lady was carried almost into the gap in the road which was being continually breached by the waves, but she wasi rescued in the nick of time. All werei drenched to the skin and the narty returned to Kaikoura, where they were provided with dry clothing. They returned home by the inland route. Mr Mogridge, who journeyed along the south road to inspect the damage, says that from the Kohutara bridge' to the first tunnel- the sea has -made a series of erosions in the road, and in sovePiil places tho trade is only wide enough for one car. Immedia,telj r on this side of the tunnel tho road lias, been completely washed but for a distance of a chain. The sea has washed the road away right back to the cliff and down to a level with the beach. A roadman infoimed him that more damage had been done on the other side towards Hundaleo,. No serious damage has been done to the road between Kaikoura and Blenheim, except near Adams bush, where the road appears to have been undermined ' from, the Hapuka to the Kekerangu. The sea, however, has swept over the road for rfiles, and the whole route wasi covered with seaweed, driftwood and big bouldeis. The seaweed has been carried well inland. The sea, which has been pounding on the\ beach at tho AVainm bar during the last few days, is the heaviest for many years. [Another account says: —A party of three women, tho Misses ■McCleary and Mr 3 Surridge, were washed into tho sea wlule standing" on a concrete roti-d embankment on the Cheviot road on Sunday. Mrs Surridge was swept away by a big wave and was rescued only with difficulty by Mr Brian McCleary.. Nono of the party suffered , any serious consequenoes as a result of their misadventure.]

HEAVY SEAS AT SUMNER,

Although the weather lias been bright and fine during the pa6t two days, the cold southerly which has been, experienced has detracted to a considerable extent from tho pleasantness of the outdoors. A noticeable feature has -been the exceptionally heavy seas running at all the local seaside resorts. Especially was this the case at Sumner, where the effects of the rough sea, although not serious, have nevertheless been felt. The heavy accretions of sand both on the main ueacii and at the spit near Shag Rock have been subjected to considerable erosion, while near the baths _ heavy scouring took place along the old rock wall. The heavy seas experienced during the week-end swept right up to the verandah of the tea-rooms and some hundreds of tons of sand were removed from the old baths. Scouring has also taken place at the other end of the beach.

RECORD SEAS.

REPORTS FROM NAPIER AND GISBORNE.

(PJtESS ASSOCIATION TMJBGBAHS.) GISBORNE, June 16. The heaviest seas which old residents have seen were running along the East Coast on Saturday and Sunday. Tho Manaia, which left Napier on Friday night with 120 passengers, was unable to communicate with the shore and lay in shelter under Young Nick's Head till yesterday afternoon. Then she steamed north and pr.-sumably went on to Auckland. Sir John Salmond is a passenger and in consequence of his non-arrival tho Supreme Court session fixed for to-day lias been adjourned. At'Tokomaru Bay some damage was done to the wharf and the passengers' landing stage was washed away. NAPIER, June 16. Tie heaviest sea during living memory was running in Hawk© Bay yesterday. The waves carried an immense quantity of shingle on to the East Coast railway and main north road, both of which will be impassable for a dav or two. No other material damage was done. AUCKLAND. June 16. The Manaia, which was unable to call at Gisbnrne, was sighted in Haitraki Gulf this afternoon and will arrive about 3.30 o'clock.