STORMS IN BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 August 1938, Page 7

STORMS IN BRITAIN

HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES LIGHTNING’S DAMAGE [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, August 8. Following a week-end of further heavy rains and thunderstorms, during which London yesterday experienced the wettest day for eight months, severe thunderstorms were reported to-day over the Eastern Counties'.

In Ramsgate, the parish church was struck by lightning, and telephones and electricity supply were temporarily put out of action. Lord Halifax was among the volunteers v. ho lent a hand in fighting a fire which broke out on his estate near Garrowby, Yorkshire, during a thunderstorm. The fire occurred in a farm building on Woodley W’old, part of Lord Halifax's estate, when the barn and granary were struck hy lightning.

U.S.A. BEACH TRAGEDY

[By CABLE PRESS ASSN. COPYBIGHT.)

NEW YORK. August 7.

A lightning, bolt struck the. heart of Riis Park Beach, where 80,000 people were bathing. Three were killed and 14 are suffering from shock. Three people were killed in similar fashion at. the same spot on August 7, 1937.

The bolt struck a man through the head killing him, leaped into his wife’s body causing a fatal shock, struck down a young couple, lurched into a family of five, knocking them all unconscious, and knocked two lifeguards from their chairs. A blue flame played along the beach, flattening all within 200 feet.