CYCLONIC STORM

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 73, 28 March 1922, Page 8

CYCLONIC STORM

DISASTER IN AUCKLAND DISTRICT

FULLER DETAILS.

(SI TELEGRAPH.—PRBSS ASSOCIATION)

AUCKLAND, This Day.

Wellsford felt the full force of the cyclonic storm on Sunday jiight. Observers saw a great funnel-shaped cloud, like a gigantic whirlwind and waterspout, travelling from, the north and licking up every movable object in ita course. At Te Hana it lifted a threeroouied house with a brick chimney many feet into the air, together with pine trees and sheet iron. Some of these were blown a great distance. The house was smashed to small pieces, some of the iron reaching Wellsford. At Wellsford the cyclone was a little to the north of the station, and in its way over the hills struck the house of Mr. A. Osborn. The latter, with his wife and son (aged 19 years), who were; in the house, were lifted with the building, which rose bodily, and was swirled i round in itho air and carried some distance and smashed to matchwood. The piano and furniture were broken up, the timber being littered around for many chains. Iron window weight* travelled ten chains and were half buried in the j clay hills. A neighbour, Tony Ikeaavich, whose fences and barn were partially wrecked before the gale reached Osbora's house, rushed to the assistance of his stricken neighbours. He found Mrs. Osbom and the son in an unconscious condition in a paddock about five, chains from tbe site of the house. Mrs. Osborn was very seriously injured internally, and is in a serious condition. Mr. Osbom was severely cut about the head and crushed. His son is severely bruised. At Warkworth a house of six rooms, occupied by Mr. Frank Martin, was WTecked by the wind, and timber and iroii were scattered over a wide axea. One chimney was levelled, imd a heavy grindstone was blown from a paddock. , The family were out milking and escaped injury, although Mr. Martin was slightly stunheS by lightning. (•I MLESRArB.—SPBCIAt, TO THE POIT.) MASTERTON, This Day. There was a particularly violent thunderstorm in the Wairarapa last night with brilliant flashes of lightning, lasting for more than an hour. { Towards the end a tropical downpour of rain commenced, and in a few minutes all the water channels in the streets were flooded.