DEVASTATING STORM

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 92, 28 March 1922, Page 5

DEVASTATING STORM

Leaves Track of Ruin

HOUSES TOSSED LIKE PAPER,

TERRIBLE VISITATION IN NORTH

FARMER AND FAMILY INJURED.

Auckland, March 28. AVellsford felt the full force of the cyclonic storm on Sunday night. Observers saw a great funnel-shaped cloud, like a gigantic whirlwind and waterspout travelling from north and licking up every movable object in its course. At Te Hana it lifted a three roomed house with a brick chimney many ieet into the air together with pine trees and sheet iron. Some of these were blown a great distance. The house was smashed to small pieces so ne of the iron reaching Wellsford. At Wellsford, the cyclone was a little to north of the station and in its way over the hills struck the house of Air A. Osborne. The latter, with wite and son aged 19 years, were in the house and were lifted with the buildings which rose bodily and was swirled round in the air, carred some distance and dashed to matchwood. The piano and furniture were broken up, timber being littered round for many chains. Iron window weights travelled ten chains and were half buried in clay hills. A neighbour, Ton Ikeavich, whose fences and barn were totally wrecked before the gale reached Osborne’s house rushed to the assistance of his stricken neighbours. He found Mrs Osborne and their son in an unconscious condition in a paddock about five chains from the site of the house. Mrs Osborne was very seriously injured. internally and is in a serious condition. Air Osborne was severely cut about the head and crushed. The son is severely bruised. At Warkworth a house of six rooms, occupied by Frank Martin, was wrecked by wind; timber and iron were scattered over a wide area. The chimney was levelled and a heavy grindstone was blown from the paddock. The family were out iniiaing and escaped injury although Mr Martin was slightly stunned by lightning.

[Wellsford is 72 miles north-east Trom Auckland, on the West Coast. Warkworth is further south, at the aead of the tidal waters of the Mahurangi River. It is the site of an important hydraulic line and cement works.j