Electric Storm Strikes Wellington

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 194, 19 August 1935, Page 7

Electric Storm Strikes Wellington

NUMBER OF SLIPS REPORTED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. An electric storm of unusual severity visited Wellington yesterday. Heavy rain accompanied by a strong northwest "wind set in early in the afternoon and at about 5.30 p.m. vivid lightning appeared in the south and. west and continued at intervals for several hours, though the thunder at that stage could not be heard. The rain, however, was particularly heavy on. occasions. At 8.30 p.m. a hailstorm commenced with remarkable suddenness and during the few minutes it lasted, drifts piled up in the corners and in at least one case blocked storm water in a drain.

Some of tho stones were very large and at Karori and Northland and nearby, where tho storm was particlarly severe, jagged lumps of ice, many three-quarters of an inch square, fell. Sonic of the hailstones themselves were as big as marbles and fell with such .force that many people feared that their windows would be broken. Many motor cars had to remain pulled up and on Friday night shoppers were terrified by the vivid lightning and tho rolling of the thunder which continued, the storm appearing to lie circling Wellington and the Hutt Valley. It eased after ten oocloek, but at 1.15 a.m. a vivid Hash and an unusually heavy clap of thunder shook houses and awakened most people m the Wellington area and heavy rain again fell. A north-west gale persisted, but gradually changed to the south, while gusts up to 50 miles per hour were, registered* A wash-out took place in Kclburn, off Upland Road, and a number of minor slips were reported in various places.

Lightning' Strikes Chimney

TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE OF OCCUPANTS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. A terrifying experience occurred to a family at Ngaio by their house in llekc (Street being struck by lightning at 8.22 p.m., a flash striking a double chimney serving the silting room and the kitchen. Bricks and pieces of chimney pots were scattered all over the section and bricks fell, down the chimney, scattering the soot and li'C lire in the grate around the room. Fortunately no one was injured.

The owner of the house is Mr If. L. Ryan, of the telephone branch of the Post and Telegraph Department. He was not at home, but round the fire were four ladies: Mrs A. Cameron and Miss Ryan, sisters of Mr Ryan, Miss B. Cameron and a visitor and also' two children. They were uneasy at the storm and then there came a deafening noise in the darkness and pandemonium.

After putting the fire out, they lost no time in getting outside, where investigations showed what had happened. None of them.want to go through "the experience again.