VIOLENT STORM AT AUCKLAND

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 185, 4 May 1936, Page 10

VIOLENT STORM AT AUCKLAND

Widespread Damage FIRES CAUSED BY POWERLINE BREAKAGES By Telegraph.— Press Association. Auckland, May 3. A violent storm accompanied by heavy rain and hail swept over Auckland on Friday night and raged throughout Saturday, giving place to improved weather to-day. The storm caused widespread damage and interruptions of essential services, but most of the breakages were of minor nature and were quickly repaired. Tlie severity of tlie storm was indicated by the exceptionally low barometer, which had fallen to 29.10 in. late on Saturday night. It then rose steadily. Telephone, telegraph and electric sup ply services were all interrupted for varying periods on Saturday. , Five minor outbreaks of fire followed the breaking of power lines. Many dinghies and small craft on Manukau harbour were swamped by the high seas, which swept over Onehuuga wharf, although there were neap tides. Isolated instances of damage to buildings were reported and hoardings and hedges were blown over in the suburbs. Struck by a gust of terrific force, the roof of a house in Kewa Road, Mount Eden, was lifted bodily at the height of the gale early yesterday afternoon and a large section, comprising 40 sheets of iron still attached to the rafters, was hurled 80 yards and struck a house in the next street. Landscape Road. Though the occupants of both houses were home at the time, nobody was hurt. Damage to the electrical signalling system caused a number of delays to trains in the area between Pukekobe and the King Country early on Saturday morning. A broken 6000-volt power line outside the Newmarket substation was responsible for the principal interruption in the electric power supply. Three houses and a motorvan at Onehunga were damaged by fire, following the breaking of power lines. Although telephonic services throughout the city and suburban districts were considerably affected, little damage of a serious nature occurred. Similar damage occurred in country districts, but no area was completely isolated for any length of time. Telegraph poles were torn down in several places and wires were broken. The wireless aerial at Kawau Island providing the only communication with the mainland was blown down.

A hailstorm of exceptional severity occurred on Saturday afternoon. At the end of five minutes, when the fall ceased, the hail had completely covered the road surfaces, which appeared to be thick in snow. Roofs and lawns were white. A severe gash in the thigh was received by Mr. Edward Brown, of Ponsonby, when the window in his bedroom blew in and showered him with glass as he lay in bed. A St. John Ambulance driver narrowly escaped injury when one of the windows of the machine he was driving at Manurewa was blown in by a sudden gust. Broken glass was scattered over him. but he escaped without a scratch. WANGANUI LASHED Gale Causes Minor Damage Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, May 3. A severe south-westerly gale lashed Wanganui on Friday night and Saturday, bringing with it ice-cold rain and sleet and occasionally heavy showers of hail. Minor damage was clone iu the city and outskirts, but nothing of a serious character has been reported. Shipping has been delayed at the port, and until 1 p.m. on Saturday telephonic communication with the northern portion of the North Island was interrupted. the furthest point north remaining in contact being Taumarunui. The barometer ou Friday fell to the lowest point it had reached since February, mid registered the lowest reading for 20 years. Shortly after midday on Saturday the readings on an aneroid barometer were 23.58 and

On Friday night the wind brought down a tramways pilot line which caused a slight delay to the service, and several insecure wireless masts were carried away. A veranda of a residence at Durie Hill was damaged, and a few windows in other parts of the city were blown in. Iron roofs in other localities suffered slight structural damage, but no reports of a serious nature have been received. To prevent the demolition of a roof of a Castlecliff wool store, sandbags were placed on top of it. A large section of Hie fence at Spriggens Park confronting Guyton Street was blown down, but was erected again, and several boardings in Hie city suffered slight damage. Many gardens were extensively damaged, and along the river bank trees.and shrubs were uprooted. In tlie more exposed country areas plantations were thinned.