FLOODING AT GERALDINE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 8

FLOODING AT GERALDINE

SEVERE HAILSTORM

WORST IN MEMORY OF RESIDENTS

DAMAGE IN TOWNSHIP AND

ON FARMS

[THE PRESS Special Service.] GERALDINE, December 21. Considerable damage was caused at Geraldine this afternoon by the worst hailstorm in the memory of residents. Gardens were cut down in a moment by the large hailstones, which fell with unusual force. Fruit was badly split and marked, leaves were stripped from trees, and after the storm two to three inches of hail lay on the ground in the more exposed places. Fortunately, the worst part of the storm covered only a narrow strip, and the wheat belt missed its full force.

Shops Suffer Loss

Two shops in the Geraldine township suffered damage from the water, which poured through the roofs. This was caused by the hail piling up in the spouting behind the parapets and diverting the storm water into the ceilings. It was fortunate that the storm did not occur at night because the damage would have been far greater if the assistants on duty had not rushed to remove the stocks of goods to drier quarters. As it was, a fair proportion of the heavy Christmas stocks were damaged by water, and in several instances shop windows were completely flooded. In several shops buckets and baths were placed to catch the dripping water in the places worst affected. The footwear departments of two of the largest stores in the township suffered seriously from the flooding. The shops will also be losers through dislocation of trade; but; most of the staff were back on duty I this evening to clean up, and on Thursday morning it will be "business as usual."

Gardens Badly Damaged

Few gardens in the Geraldine township escaped damage and several residents will be serious losers. Most garden crops were cut back to the ground. One resident showed a representative of "The Press" the damage in his flower garden. In the morning there were beds of hydrangeas and roses. After the storm it appeared as if starving cattle had been let loose in the garden; hardly a flower survived, and most of the foliage was cut back to the stems. Similar experiences were reported by hundreds of keen horticulturists and gardeners. Manv trees in the township were almost stripped of their leaves, and fruit in the home gardens fared badly. Small fruit such as raspberries and currants were in many instances completely stripped.

No Export Apples

"There will probably be no apples for export from my orchard," said Mr J. Wordsworth, whose orchard actually missed the full force of the storm. Mr Wordsworth said he was fortunate in getting only the tail end of the hail, but even so, much damage occurred. The stones were very large and some apples were split and many bruised. It would be a day or two before the real damage could be estimated. Farmers stated this evening that rape and turnip crops had been damaged considerably, but no reports of damaged wheat were received. All I recently shorn sheep will receive a serious set-back.

Centre of the Storm The storm broke about 3 p.m., but for some time before an ominous banking of clouds and an electric atmosphere gave warning of the impending storm. The south-east corner of the Geraldine Downs and the township appeared to be the centre of the visitation, and farmers who watched from outlying districts said that the hills went white in a minute. The storm was also reported from Mount Peel, Rangitata, Orari, and Hilton, but in those places it was less severe. Some farmers described the hailstones as "jagged lumps of ice' and "as large as sixpence," but in the Geraldine township it was not the size of the stones but the quantity and rapidity of their delivery that were so unusual.

Many telephone wires were broken by the hail, and the lightning blew several fuses. Linesmen had a busy time repairing these this evening. Motorists driving into the storm found it necessary to stop their cars until it subsided.

Nearly 48 inches of rain has been recorded at Geraldine this year, while the average rainfall is only 29 inches. It was still raining at midnight.

HEAVIEST FOR MANY YEARS

RAIN STORMS AT ASHBURTON

The heaviest rain storms experienced it Ashburton for many years occurred yesterday afternoon. Preceded by unusually loud claps of thunder, a heavy rain, storm passed over Ashburton shortly after 1 p.m.

Throughout the morning, ominous banks of clouds were seen gathering towards the hills. For about a quarter of an hour there was a heavy shower from the north-west, which soaked the town and overflowed water channels. Light rain fell for some time after this, and about three o'clock the sun broke through the clouds. The heaviest showers fell after 4.30 p.m., when, driven by a strong southerly wind, sheets of water swept down the streets. There were bursts of thunder at frequent intervals, and after one clap the electric power supply was interrupted for about five minutes. Bright flashes' of lightning were seen in the town.

TRAFFIC STOPPED AT TEMUKA

HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL

[THE PRESS Special Service.] TEMUKA, December 21. A terrific hailstorm whitened Temuka streets and stopped traffic at 3.30 this afternoon. Black clouds had been hanging low over the town for an hour before, and the storm was heralded by peals of thunder and flashes of lightning. Many, business premises burned electric lights because of the darkness,

and shoppers rushed to doorways for shelter. Culverts were soon flooded. The hail was followed by rain which lasted for about an hour. Earlier in the afternoon when Temuka streets were quite dry and no immediate rain was threatening a similar hailstorm occurred about two miles south of Temuka, where the vision of motorists was totally obscured by a driving mass of hail. Similar isolated storms occurred all over the district and it is difficult to estimate the damage done. Thirty-two points of rain fell.