NORTHERLY STORM

Grey River Argus, 20 January 1941, Page 9

NORTHERLY STORM

SWEEPS WEST COAST Over 3J Inches of Rain More than three and a half inches of rain fell m ureymoutn between 9 a.m. on Saturday and 7 o clock Last evening, when the West Coast was visited by a severe northerly isiorm, accompanied by hign gusts of wind and exceptionally heavy falls of rain. The ram, which commenced to fall late on Saturday afternoon in light showers, increased aft,er dark;, and several Heavy falls were experienced beiore midnight. In the early hour s of yesterday morning, further heavy tails wer 6 recorded, out the heaviest one was shortly before noon, when the downpour continued incessantly lor some time. For the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday, 2.30 inches of rain were recorded on the Greymouth Harbour Board’s recording uifsiruments at the tiphead, whilst more than an inch fed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. yesterday. The heaviest falls tvers confined to tne coastal areas, and only last evening did the Grey River give the appearance of heavy ram in the back country. the day, th e river remained normal. iJC.t earlylast evening there was a slight f'resn and the current commenced to make. At the present time r.ean tides are. approaching, and as there is little snow on the higher country, it is improbable that the river, will rise to any extent, , FLOODED STREETS Greymouth’s storm-water drainage system yvas put to a severe ted yesterday, and many of th e streets, particularly in the lower-lying parts of th ti town, were Hooded, neonard and William Streets carried a large quantity of surface water, stretcuing completely across the stieei, wnilst there was also flooding in the southern end of Boundary Street near Victoria Park. Large quantities of water pouring from the railway yards and the higher levels in th? vicinity, causing flooding in the vicinity of Revington’s Hotel and the Chief Post Office, whilst there were unusually full water-tables in several other parts of the town. Sawyer’s Creek was in high flood throughout the day, and many gardens and lawns owned by propertyholders in the vicinity of Marsden Road were under water, no great damage being done. There was less flooding than usual in the northern part of Shakespeare Street, but Town Beit South was a sheet of water. At the junction of Threadneedle and Alexander Streets the water covered the footpaths. From a cave hi the Greymouth Harbour Board’s quarry at Cobden, large quantities of water issued throughout the day, crossing the road at th e railway crossings, and impeding tne passage of pedestrian traffic. Watercourses in Cooden carried overflows of rain-water, and many gardens were heavily flooded. Th e only road citimage was in Leith Street, where a slip from the side of the hill brought isolation to four householders, whose homes are situated in the new portion of the Cottle Estate. Consisting mainly of soft mud, the slip should not be difficult to move, and yesterday residents were able to walk round it, but cars could not pass. Reports from the country districts last evening indicated that the rainfall had been much" less than in Greymouth, and ther e was no damage to county roads or main highways’ although slight flooding occurred in places. A good number of boulders were dislodged from the hills along which Omoto Road and the road over the Cobden Hill run, and care was necessary on the part of motorist s and other road users. There was heavy rain in Hokitika at the week-end, starting on Saturday night and increasing yesterday. In some streets water accumulated to a certain extent, but drained off in the course of the afternoon. Fierce Brisbane Storms STREETS FLOODES LIGHTNING STRIKES (Received January 19, 6.30 p.m.) BRISBANE, January 19. Brisbane’s fiercest storffi for two years occurred on Saturday afternoon, during which two golfers were struck by lightning, one being killed. The storm broke in the middle of the afternoon. Rain came down in torrents for an hour. The city and suburban streets were awash, several feet deep, and extensive damage was don e to the low-lying suburbs. The two golfers were sheltering under a tree when lightning struck them. They wer e found unconscious, with their clothing torn to shreds. One died in the hospital. The other was seriously hurt. EUROPEAN BLIZZARDS (Received January 19. T. 30 p.m.) LONDON, January 18Blizzards continue to sweep over Northern Spain. An avalanche of snow buried a busload of passengers, but all were rescued. Thirty-si/ degrees Farenheit of frost has been recorded in Denmark. Europe’s Cold Wave DISEASES SPREADING. (Received January 19, 6.45 p.m.) LONDON, January 18. There is to-day a blizzard raging in the Straits of Dover. Snow is falling, and there are great seas run-

ni ng. A message from Belgrade reports an increasing toll of disease accompanying the cold wave in Eastern Europe. The death roll is so high in Poland that Germans and Poles are being buried in common graves. Serious epidemics of typhoid, smallpox, and influenza' have broken out in Roumania, and there has been a number of deaths at Braila. Galati Municipality ordered universal vaccination as a result of widespread influenza'. There are many German troops at Galati. Influenza is sweeping through Bucharest.