CALIFORNIAN GALE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1938, Page 7

CALIFORNIAN GALE

GREAT DAMAGE CAUSED

MANY TOWNS ISOLATED

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —-COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. February 11, 9 a.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, February 10. Five persons are known to be dead, and the property damage is estimated at 1,000,000 dollars, as the result of an 80-mile-an-hour gale throughout California. The storm swept in from the sea, smashing buildings and trees in several cities. State-wide communication is interrupted. Dozens were injured, and hundreds of families are homeless. Heavy rain followed the windstorm, increasing the misery. The destruction of crops and orchards is tremendous. Several towns are isolated, due to blocked roads and broken telephone lines. Some were left in darkness by the failure of the electric service. Trains were stalled and radio stations cancelled their programmes.

At the State capital, Sacramento, much damage was done, and over a score were injured. The police broadcast a warning, at the height of the storm, for' all to stay off the streets. Great waves swept in from the sea, and ships pounded against their moorings. The storm extended over threequarters of the California coastline, from Los Angeles to Eureka. Many roofs were ripped off in various cities throughout California, and trees were unrooted. In Sacramento, the power failed throughout the city. Emergency crews cut through the wall of the Capitol, to release an operator from a stalled lift. Emergency hospitals were short of supplies. The streets were flooded. Flying debris in? jured a number of pedestrians. Twenty oil derricks were blown down. The courthouse windows were shattered.

At Los Angeles, the streets were littered with broken trees and billboards. The south-eastern section of the city was without lights or power. At the Salinas airport, the hangars were destroyed. At Watsonville, the damage to buildings and orchards is estimated at 250,000 dollars. At Fruitvale, the power-lines were down, and the inter-urban service was halted. It is believed that a tree was blown into a passing train, injuring a woman.

At Pittsburg, most of the trees were felled, the power failed, and cars were damaged. At San Mateo, the power failed, and houses were unroofed.

At Albany, the post office building collapsed, and at Burlingame cars and houses were crushed, and the South Pacific trains were stalled.