STORM IN N.S. WALES

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1931, Page 5

STORM IN N.S. WALES

LIFE AND PROPERTY LOSSES HEAVY RAIN, HAIL AND WIND [BY CABLE—PBESS ASSN.—COPYBIGHT.] (Recd Nov. 9, 10.30 a.m.). SYDNEY, November 9. Yesterday, a storm of tremendous fury swept across the eastern half of the State, leaving a trail of death and desolation. It was heralded by a unique cloud' formation, which the State Meteorologist considers unprecedented in character. At one stage rain fell at the rate of 420 points an hour, and the wind reached sixty-four miles an hour. , An old swagman, sheltering under a bridge at Harden, was drowned in the creek. A station hand at Cowra, - was killed when mustering sheep. His body was found half buried by hail. Two other country people were struck dead by lightning. A family at Dee Why (?) had a-re-markable escape from death, when their home was struck and practically demolished by fireballs. In the suburbs, damaged houses and gardens were everywhere ruined owing to the density of the hail. The storm also unroofed houses and garages, toppled chimneys and sank harbour craft.

In Surrey Hills, the hail banked up to a depth of two feet while at other places/ it is reported to be four feet high. Trams, on the North Shore were prevented from running. The trains were also delayed when lightning struck the railway insulators at Fairfield. ’