Whirlwind Wreaks Havoc On Taranaki Farm

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22850, 21 January 1949, Page 7

Whirlwind Wreaks Havoc On Taranaki Farm

(r.A.) NEW FLYMOUTH. Jan. 21. Roaring down from the north at the height of a thunderstorm on Wednesday night, a whirlwind crossed Upper Kahui road, near Rahotu, shortly before 9.30 p.m., partly unroofing the house and cowshed of Mr. Richard Fleming, tearing away his garage and continuing on through a plantation of pines, snapping off stout trees. No one was injured.

A neighbour reports hearing the whirlwind roaring overhead. It picked up a small out-house, flung it over a 6ft. high hedge and dropped it 30 yards away near the road.

It crossed Kahui road, tilted a power pole and tore off the wires. As the lights went out. Mrs. Fleming heard a road and a deafening clatter and the air in the room revolved as though in a giant fan. When Mr. Fleming returned home a few minutes later he found his garage had disappeared. The roof of the garage was later found on top of 20ft. high trees and the sides were found 20 yards away on the lawn and against the house.

About 30 sheets were stripped from the cowshed roof and whirled away like leaves across a plantation behind the house.

As is whirled through the plantation, the wind plucked 6ft. girth pine trees as though they were flowers. The trunks of others were cracked and limbs shorn-off and tossed about. A sow in farrow on a Kahui road farm gave birth to a litter of dead pigs. It is believed that the storm was the cause.