RAIN AND WIND.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 20 December 1924, Page 5

RAIN AND WIND.

CAUSE HEAVY DAMAGE, STORM SWEEPS NORTH ISLAND MANY LANDSLIPS.'

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. During the past three days a big cyclone disturbance has prevailed over the whole of the North Island, extending to districts on either side of Cook Strait. To-day the storm was very severe, and continued with unabated violence all day. Railway slips are reported in many quarters, and there have been landslips in and round Wellington, particularly at liar or i, where the tramway power line lighting, cable was brought down by a falling tree: Traffic W’as held up. Storm water has given trouble in the city, there being an abnormal volume, which w’as more than the surface water drains could take. Telephone communication is interrupted in the city and at the Hutt. Officials ' quickly grappled with the situation in all directions. The rain-fall has been abnormal. At Masterton 7.06 inches of rain w T ere recorded in tlie 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. to-day. The fall at Featherston was 5.91 inches, and at Wellington 2.74 inches. At Masterton 2.95 inches fell in four hours. The total rainfall for the month of December in Wellington is i .44 inches, which lias only once been excelled since records were first taken over 60 years ago. Present indications are fo r southeast to south-west winds strong to gale. The weather will be cold and unsettled and w’et generally and stormy in and northward of Cook Strait Further heavy ram and floods are expected in many parts of the North Island and the north-east districts of the South Island. The conditions may moderate to-morrow. The barometer will rise in the north and fall shortly in the south.