Tornado hits Taranaki

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 4

Tornado hits Taranaki

PA New Plymouth A farmer’s wife and her three-year-old son huddled together in the corner of a cowshed as a tornado ripped off the roof, near the Taranaki coastal township of Okato last night Mrs Sandy Powell and her son, Graham, were In the cowshed, having just finished milking. “We heard a roaring noise and got such a fright that we huddled down in a comer. Wlien we looked up the roof had gone,” said Mrs Powell. The tornado wrecked everything in its path as it carved a trail inland from the coast. Although damage was extensive, no-one was injured. After striking the coast about 5 p.m, the tornado swept across farmlands, ripping out trees, fences and power poles. After narrowly missing occupied farmhouses it demolished

several sheds and brought down power and telephone lines.

The tornado then went through a plantation of about 30 pine trees before spending itself in a valley near the main highways.

Surveying the damage late last night, Constable R. G. Mills, of Okato, said that the residents were a “lucky lot.” “Had the tornado gone 100 yards either way it would have wiped out several houses,” he said. He led rescue teams Into the area, but their job was not easy with fences and trees down.

In some areas conditions were very dangerous, as broken powerlines were still sparking on the ground — a problem made worse by darkness and heavy rain.

Power was restored to most areas about 6.45 p.m.