WILD HEAVY STORM

Evening Post, Issue 87, 9 October 1936, Page 10

WILD HEAVY STORM

WIND, RAIN, AND LIGHTNING

CANTERBURY GETS IT

I (By Telegraph.-I—Press Association.) '< ~ ■ CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A: terrific electrical storm has been raging .in the mountains from Springfield to.Arthuris Pass and also on the West Coast side, of the. divide.; As. a r.esult,. direct telephonic and telegraphic communication' is: cut off, and all messages have, to' be; sent ; via Blenheim. The automatic train signalling system has also'been thrown out of order, and trains between Ghristchurch and-; Greymouth have' been ' running hours late. • •' ,:-. ,' ; : The affected districts have been :experiencing- a tearing north-west»wind •with incessant; thunder ■ and lightning and' heavy rain: All,the rivers?in the higher country are rising, . and this morning.,it was doubtful.whether the Post and Telegraph Department's men would "be able "■,to 'get" their cars through the Bruce ana Cass Rivers "to repair the damage west of those, points.. ...'.'. . '. ; . ". ...

With yesterday's rail-car accident in mind, the Railway Department officials, were seriously considering cancelling this morning's run of the Christchurch-Hokitika rail-car, but after, \ consultation it was decided to send the: car away, but, as with, steam trains, it was held up, at intervals to allow ; for time-table crossings.

A fearsome- experience- was undergone by the passengers. and crew on the night goods train from Greymouth: to .Christchurch. Usually this train reaches Christchurch -at .6.5' a.m., ;but today it arrived at 10.34 a.m. A few passengers were transferred at Spring-' field, to a 'traini leayirig': there' at |7.50 a.m., and they, arrived at Christchurch 27 minutes- before the 'arrival «f the goods train; ;

The. guard, .who. left .Christchurch. about 6 o'clock last night' on ' the Christchurch-Greyrnouth goods, and transhipped at Arthur's' Pass to the train travelling; from ■ the •' Coast, de-. clared that he had never experienced anything 'like the. thunder,' lightning, wind, and rain on the line from Springfield to Arthur's. Pass. Such.was the strength'of. the wind, he said, that it was impossible to stand against it.