TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 965, 8 February 1862, Page 4

TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORM.

On Friday last, a violent thunderstorm swept over the gold fluids. At Weatherstone's and Gabriel's the lightning was very vivid, and dangerously ne ar ior nearly an hour peal after peal of thunder seemed to umte in one continuous roll, while the rain poure down nvtorronts, penetrating the frail calico coveringsof teutsand stores, to the utter discomfort of

the.owners. The hotels were in no better conditjo, their visitors being subjected to a rather unplcasat i shower-bath. Save, however, the flooding of a'fev claims and stores, no cases of any great darna» V. liavo been reported. „ ' °

On the Waipori, the storm appenrs to have bee ver^ severe. A tent containing ten men was strm'-i by lightning, and the tent burned to the grout.,] Three of the men were struck senseless, and a fourtl' severely injured. The electric fluid passed in t| u ! direction of the front portion of the tent, kiliini' \r its progress two valuable dogs, which had l Je(!1 chained up outside.

The heavy fall of rain which followed flooded the Waipori river, and threatened the entire destrnnfioi of the partially-formed dam belonging to theHallaar' Sluicing Company. An attempt was mafic u> save it, and while engaged in this operation one o f" tlirmen was swept away and drowned.

Other casualties are reported, but they are f) f trifling importance.

At Waitahuna the storm was not so violent the electric cloud seems to have discharged its fury on the two first-mentioned places. Very little rain fell and the weather gradually cleared up. '

In our issue of yesterday, we mentioned that tent at Waipori had been struck by lightning, anil two dogs killed. We are now in possession' of further particulars. It seems that' the stroke took place at 6 o'clock on the evening of 31st January The tent was situated on the banks of the river Waipori, about three miles from the junction Directly on receiving information, Sergeant Van. chen, accompanied by Mr. Fox, surgeon, proceed to the spot, and found that ten diggers (not five a s at first reported) had been inside the tout at the time of the occurrence, and that all of them wenmore or less paralysed, but none severely hurt. Ij r Fox at once applied remedies, and speedily restorwi the patients, with the exception of two, who continned lame for some time, and a third who for a long while remained senseless ; all, however, were ultimately recovered.