TORNADO NEAR AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25209, 13 June 1947, Page 8

TORNADO NEAR AUCKLAND

HEAVY DAMAGE TO PROPERTY HOUSES UNROOFED, SHEDS BLOWN AWAY (P.A.) AUCKLAND, June 12. A tornado cut a 110 yd wide swathe of damage, estimated at thousands of pounds, through houses and gardens for about a mile over hills and gullies in part of Campbell’s Bay and Castor Bay, north of Milford, at 5.40 a.m. to-day. • Accompanied by thunder, lightning, and hail, the tornado travelled in a south-easterly direction, leaving a trail of wreckage from Mr R. Moore’s home in Aberdeen road, near the Pupuke golf course, above Campbell’s Bay. down through Castor Bay to the northern end of Milford beach. From there the tornado apparently travelled a short distance across the ch'nnel toward Rangitoto Island tearing off whole sheets of roofing iron, scattering tiles, and shattering windows. The tornado completely removed some smaller buildings, such as garages, and demolished the framework of a house under construction. It invaded many of the homes, peppering the interior walls and doors, some of which were pitted to a depth of one-sixteenth of an inch with driving scoria. No one was reported injured, although there were narrow escapes, and many of the older people were shaken by their experience. A large concrete section of a chimney of a partly-erected house crashed through the roof of a near-by bach usually occupied by the contractor, Mr E. T. Fowler. It landed on his bed. but fortunately he had spent the night in the city. The tornado lasted about half a minute, amid a weird blue light. In houses only a few feet from its path the occupants slept peacefully through it.

Fully grown pines were stripped of all their limbs, and topped by the force of the tornado. Spans of low and high tension power lines were torn down in many parts of the district. and about 30 sets of service wires were wrenched from houses. There was no power in the tangled wires, as a supply cut was in force until 5.45 a an. Repairing Power Lines When power was switched on at the sub-station for the area a few minutes after the tornado had passed the circuit breakers closed, and it became obvious that there had been a major breakdown. Faced with the biggest repair job of their careers, many of the Auckland Electric Power Board’s North Shore maintenance men were quickly on the scene. With the exception of two transformer areas, the po er was restored «-t 9.55 a.m., and with only a little clearing-up work still to do. the whole job was completed in the afternoon. The framework of two houses being built was flattened. A large concrete mixer was thrown about 12 feet, to damage a newly-laid path. Most of the back portion of the roof of Mr D. Stevenson’s home in Rahapara street was ripped off, and deposited ali over the area. A garage owned by Mr C. T. Sainsbury disappeared completely. leaving the car standing untouched in the open. The debris of a stricken tree damaged a corner of Mrs F. R. Wood’s house. The porch of another house was blown away. On another property a large piece of roofing timber punctured a neat hole through a washhouse door. The morning scene was one of anxious people searching for their roofing iron over a wide area, so that it could be replaced before too much driving rain entered their exposed homes. An early visit to the scene was made by the assistant-building controller at Auckland, Mr T. McKnight. He said no permits would be required for material to repair any of the damage done in the area. While the damage was most serious and extensive, the amount of materials needed would not be excessive. About 20 new sheets of iron would be sufficient for all the houses, as most of the lifted iron could be replaced. Obtaining materials would be a matter between the residents and the merchants, added Mr McKnight. He had seen the people and told them that if they got into difficulties, his office would assist by telling merchants it would be grateful if their cases were treated favourably.