Chch again hit by heavy hail

Press, 13 December 1982, Page 1

Chch again hit by heavy hail

Christchurch was battered by heavy hail during two brief electrical storms within four hours yesterday afternoon. Unlike last Tuesday’s storm, there was no crop damage in the Marshland area from the hail even though it passed over the area. Northern parts of Christchurch were covered in a blanket of white hailstones until they were washed away in the downpour that followed. Flooding occurred in many streets. The first electrical storm struck at 2.30 p.m. when hail fell on northern parts of the city, passing over Christchurch Airport. The second storm came about 6 p.m., again accompanied by hail which also fell in the northern part of the city, this time missing the airport. Both storms were accompanied by heavy rain, 7mm of rain falling between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Another 13mm of rain had already fallen between midnight and 6 a.m. yesterday.

The Ministry of Transport said that during the hailstorm there were three minor accidents, but apart from some flooding on street corners it did not inconvenience motorists. Mr Kevin Harris, a market gardener at Marshland said 7mm of rain fell and hail turned the grass white but the storm broke up quickly and did not damage his crops. “It was not continuous like the last time, but if it had gone on for another 15 minutes it could have been a different story," he said. Water short-circuited seven burglar alarms in the city during the downpour. South Wairarapa farmers and horticulturists yesterday began counting the cost of a snap flood which covered hundreds of hectares with water during the week-end, caused by torrential rain in the Tararua Ranges. Greytown, the centre of the district’s horticultural industry, was hard hit by the flood and at one stage fire engines were pumping water

from the low-lying crops. Floodwaters closed State highway 2 north of Greytown on Saturday night but it was reopened yesterday. Other minor roads were, however, still under water. The Masterton Licensing Trust hired a helicopter to fly in a band to perform at its Golden Shears Motor Inn on Saturday evening. The musicians were stranded at Featherston, unable to get through the flood, and so the helicopter made two trips to ferry them to Masterton. Strong north-westerly winds created havoc in Gisborne on Saturday night and yesterday morning. Up to’4o per cent of the city’s residential power supply was cut at various times during the day. On camping grounds north of the city trie wind caused considerable damage, with reports of caravans being blown over at Pouawa and damage to tents and awnings. A big tent was reported missing and was probably blown away.