VIOLENT STORM AT WESTPORT

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22936, 5 February 1940, Page 6

VIOLENT STORM AT WESTPORT

HOUSES UNROOFED BY GALE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS WASH-OUTS ON MAIN' ROADS IFfOm OUf Own Repofter,] WESTPORT, February 4, Houses were unroofed, outhouses, verandahs and fences Mown down, wireless pales smashed, trees up* footed, and telephone and electric power wires broken by a gale of almost hurricane force which swept through part of the residential area of Westport in the early hours of Saturday morning. So great was the -force of the Wind that debris was deposited 400 yards, Ifl acme cases, from the damaged buildings, In one place the electric power lines were hanging over the telephone wires on the opposite side of the road. The Duller district has been having one of the worst periods of weather in its existence.. Gales, heavy rain and electrical storms have been frequent in the last 16 days. After a lull on Friday heavy rain fell in the evening to become almost a deluge by midnight, After an unusually severe electrical storm had raged until 3 o’clock a wind sprang up suddenly and, sweeping through the area mentioned, left a trail of destruction. The roof Was almost completely torn from Mr W. White’s residence in Russell street and heavy ram caused considerable damage to the Interior and furniture. A garage hear the house was wrecked. The roof of a residence occupied by Mr and Mrs C. Flygenring was similarly damaged, the verandah was smashed to matchwood, and the contents of the house ruined. A glasshouse and shed owned by Captain Platts were razed to the ground. As the gale swept through the town in the direction Of Orowaiti it carried the outhouses on Mr N, Solomon’s property some 100 yards and lifted the roof from Mr A. Hunter’s sawmill to deposit it on the railway tine a similar distance away. A fowlhouse and cowshed on Mrs M. Griffen’s section were blown over and the fences surrounding several places damaged. Flower and vegetable gardens which have suffered badly of late were almost completely ruined by the storm* Fortunately no persons were injured although several had narrow escapes from falling debris. The Mayor (Mr J. M, Robertson) visited the damaged area and was instrumental in getting tarpaulin covers for the roofless houses. There was difficulty itj getting sheet-iron for roofing at Westport and it was only after the Mayor had communicated with the member for the district, the Hon. P, C. Webb, that the necessary amount was provided from the Railway Department. The weather cleared to-day with little rain. No damage to buildings Was caused by the storm in the country districts, but wash-outs on the Duller Gorge road hear Windy Point and on the Westport-Grey-mouth coastal road near Charleston held up traffic for a long period until temporary repairs were effected.