Electrical Storm Strikes Auckland And Northland

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29384, 10 December 1960, Page 14

Electrical Storm Strikes Auckland And Northland

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, December 9. The whole of Northland and Auckland were blacked out when lightning struck three transformer banks at the Otahuhu substation this evening during one of the sharpest electrical storms in years. Hail and torrential rain lashed parts of Auckland city and suburbs earlier in the day. Two tornado cones drifted north-east across Auckland within 10 minutes of each other at the height of the storm. Power was cut off in most areas for varying periods from between 4.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Parts of Otahuhu were still without power late tonight. Farmers in the Otahuhu area were unable to milk their cows in the late afternoon. Heavy surges of electrical cur-

rent caused by the storm clouds jammed highly sensitive machinery in Auckland at 4.45 p.m. Lightning struck the transformers at 5.58 p.m. All Auckland Transport Board trolley-buses were stopped during the disturbance. Board officers followed their normal practice and replaced the buses with diesel vehicles. Traffic on the longer routes suffered considerable delay. Mr H. E. Evans, district engineer in Auckland for the Electricity Department, said it waf the worst electrical disturbance in his three years at Auckland. Minor flooding occured in many low-lying areas of the city and suburbs where drains could not cope with the delude. Windscreen wipers could not cope with the torrential rain. Many motorists switched on their headlights; others stopped until the rain had eased.

Lightning struck a pine tree on a farm near Forrest .Hill road, Milford, late this afternoon. The split trunk was still smouldering this evening.