Downpour Floods Chch. Streets

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30966, 24 January 1966, Page 1

Downpour Floods Chch. Streets

A brief electrical storm in Christchurch about 6.30 p.m. yesterday brought torrential rain to most of the city. The rain, lasting about half an hour and accompanied by thunder and lightning, caused flash flooding in many streets.

Earlier in the afternoon there had been thunder in the hills, and leaden skies and humid temperatures carried the threat of a storm. The weather office reported that stormy conditions prevailed over most of the country.

Streets at the bottom of the Cashmere Hills, and in the Spreydon and Hoon Hay areas were among the worst affected by the downpour. Parts of Riccarton road were flooded, and much water was lying near the Sockburn roundabout. Some Sydenham streets were covered with sheets of water. One resident in Dalkeith street, Hoon Hay, said the rain was the heaviest he had seen. At the south end of the street the water was more than six inches deep, and flowing like a river. Between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m., when the storm was at its height the family could not hear television sound for the noise of thunder and rain. Many cars which could not negotiate the water on the street were forced to detour. POWER FAILURE

Residents in the Halswell area were without power for about two hours last evening when a bolt of lightning ■ struck a transformer in

Downie road. An automatic switch on the 11,000-volt line in Sparks road automatically switched off the supply to the area when the transformer was struck. From 6.50 p.m. until 8.27 p.m. most consumers in the area were without power.

The Municipal Electricity Department’s chief engineer (Mr W. D. Johnstone) said the rain had caused no immediate damage to power lines. Once the fault had been isolated in the Halswell area, only a few residents had been left without power. Men from the department were working on the transformer.

Outlying districts received only a light fall, but experienced overcast conditions with thunder and lightning. Akaroa, on the fringe of the storm, had only a brief period of light rain, although heavy black clouds passed over the hills. TEMPERATURES On Saturday the tempera ture at Christchurch Airport, rose from 60deg. at 9 a.m. to a maximum of 70deg. at 5 p.m. Skies were overcast in the morning and light rain fell. Yesterday the airport, temperature at 6 a.m. was 61deg., at noon 69deg.. and a maximum of 71deg. was recorded at 1 p.m.