AUCKLAND DAMAGE

Grey River Argus, 4 May 1936, Page 5

AUCKLAND DAMAGE

Varied and Widespread RAIN, HAIL AND VIOLENT GALES. AUCKLAND, May 3. A violent storm, accompanied by heavy rain and hail, swept over Auckland on Friday night, and raged throughout Saturday, giving place to improved weather to-day. The storm caused widespread damage, and also interruptions of essential services, but most of the breakages were of. a minor nature and were quickly repaired. The severity of the storm was indicated by an exceptionally low barometer which had fallen to 29.10 inches on Saturday night. It then rose steadily.

Telephone, telegraph and electric supply services were all interrupted for varying periods on Saturday. Five minor outbreaks of fire- followed the breaking of power lines. Many dinghies am] small craft on Manukau Harbour were, swamped by high seas, which swept over Onehunga wharf, although there were neap tides. Isolated instances of damage . to buildings were reported, and hoardings and hedges were blown over in suburbs. Damage to the electrical signalling svstem caused a number of delays to trains in the area, between Pukekohs and King Country on Saturday morn-

mg. A broken 6000- volt power lino, outside Newmarket, sub-station was responsible for the principal interruption in the electric power supply. Three houses and a motorvan at. Onehunga. were damaged by fire, following the breaking of power lines on ( Saturday morning. Although telephonic services throughout the city and suburban districts were considerably affected, title damage of a. serious nature occurred. Similar damage oeurred in the country districts, hut no area was completely isolated for any length of time. Telegraph poles were torn down in several places and wires were broken. r Thc wireless <ieri<il Jy.ciw<iu _ land, providing the only communication’with the mainland, was blown down. . . ~ A hail storm of exceptional severity occurred on Saturday afternoon. At the end of five jninutes, when the ia.ll ceased the hail had completely covered the’ road surfaces, which appeared to be thick in snow. Roofs and lawns were white. \ severe gash in the thigh was received bv Edward Brown, of Ponsonby. when a window in his bedroom blew in and showered him with glass as re lay in bed. A St. John Ambulance driver narrowly escaped injury when one of the windows of a machine he was driving at Manurewa was blown in by a sudden gust. Broken glass was scattered over him, but he escaped without a scratch. Conditions at Dunedin PART OF CITY IN DARKNESS. DUNEDIN. May 3. A high southerly wind accompanied bv hailstorms uud heavy rain, brought wintrv- conditions to Dunedin on Fridav and yesterday. A Hash ol lio-h’in.ing and tliunderclri.p at 7 pm. vesterdav enusml a break in he power lines, plunging portions Of the enttv into dailcuoss until 9 o clock, and disorganising picture theatresThe hil! s .were lightly coa’led with snow, .and'there were heavy falls m Central CHngOj but all the. roads are elecar. and no serious damage, m report ed. ____________