Violent Storm Sweeps Wellington

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 222, 18 September 1943, Page 5

Violent Storm Sweeps Wellington

ROOF OF SCHOOL TORN AWAY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. Wellington was swept by a storm of unusual violence yesterday, high wind being accompanied by torrential rain, bail and lightning with heavy thunder claps. Between 9 a.m. and 8 pim., 35 points of rain were recorded by the Kelburn observatory. The average force of the wind was 30 miles an hour, increasing in the evening to 35 m.p.li. There were numerous stages in the day when the wind reached a speed of 60 m.p.h., but the greatest gust occurred at 3 p.m., when the velocity was 73 miles an hour. Half the roof of the Mt. Carmel Convent School at Hataitai was torn away by a strong gust at about 2.15 p.m. The building is of brick with a corrugated iron roof. Singing lessons were in progress at the time and the children were startled to see pieces of the roof go flying over the houses. No one was injured. At about the same time, the force of the wind overturned a car. The vehicle was righted, but before it Could proceed on its way, it was blown sver again. The car was damaged, but no one was injured. The estimated force of the wind was about 70 miles an hour at that time. A particularly severe flash of lightning at 8.37 a.m. caused damage to the plant of the Hutt Valley Electrical Power Board. Some private damage was also caused. The current over moat of the area was cut off for only a few minutes, but at localities where the transformers were damaged, the current was not finally restored till early in the afternoon. Fortunately none of the major industries was concerned in the longer stoppages.