SEVERE STORM

Northern Advocate, 19 August 1935, Page 4

SEVERE STORM

ON LAND AND SEA | i ! SHIPS BUFFETED. j VIVID LIGHTNING. ; i i I POWER FAILS. | i [Special to “Northern Advocate."’] AUCKLAND, This Day. After a week-end of , squally, and miserably wet weather, a severe thunderstorm occurred over the city and southern portion of the Auckland province last night. Shortly before 7.30 the thunderclaps Struck the city like the roar of cannon. Windows rattled, and lightning illuminated the sky for miles around. Then came rain in torrents. Lightning striking the wires caused a circuit breaker to trip at the Franklin Power Board’s depot at Pukekohe at 7.44 p.m., cutting off light and power from the circuit supplying the town and vicinity for six minutes. A westerly gale continued throughout the week-end, accompanied by heavy rain squalls, with occasional sunshine. Shipping was buffeted by high seas. The Manukau bar has been unworkable since Friday, but the port of Onehunga has been empty, and shipping has, therefore, not been affected. The weather remains cold and showery there being a heavy roll of thunder over Auckland at 1.30. It rained narly all night, and conditions were most unpleasant in the city and suburbs. Late this afternoon the sun was shining, but Aucklanders would have to be very optimistic indeed to believe it would continue for long. ON THE COAST. DAMAGE At TARANAKI. (Special to '’Northern Advocate.'’! NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. • The week-end storm on the Taranaki coast was most severe, but fortunately no serious damage has ocr curred. Two rowboats broke adrift from their moorings and were smashed on the rocks. The diver’s boat belonging to the harbour board was swamped at its moorings. The coastal vessel Totara has been anchored for two days within the shelter of the harbour, unable to face the sea driving in from the west beyond the shelter of the breakwater. Another whirlwind visited the Bell Block district on Friday night, three farmsheds and a hayshed being damaged by a terrific gust of wind, which persisted for a quarter of an hour. It was preceded by a startling thunderclap and a terrific flash cf lightning. IN THE WAIKATO. RIVER OVERFLOWS. [Special to “Northern Advocate,."] HAMILTON. This Day. The storm experienced here ever the week-end has been most severe. .The Waikato river has been running high, and on Saturday night the river at Pukekohe broke over the stopbank and flooded several farms with about a foot of water. The cattle in some cases had to be removed to farms higher up. The water did not enter the houses of any settlers, but flooded the cowsheds. The severe thunderstorm which occurred in the Waikato on Friday night was continued right throughout the district over the week-end. Telephone communication was interrupted in the Piako district, on the west coast, on Friday evening, by a strong flash of lightning. In Victoria Street, Hamilton, strong westerly winds smashed a plate glass window. A number of windows in private houses were also smashed in Hamilton. A big slip occurred during Friday night in the new deviation work being carried out in Hinton’s Gully, on the Hamilton-Morrinsville road. Traffic is blocked, and is required to pass along the Ruakura station road, between Hamilton and Newstead. Cambridge was also swept .by a severe thunderstorm on Friday night, when there was very heavy rain. Morrinsville reports cold and showery weather. LAMBS KILLED. BLIZZARD IN KING COUNTRY. (Special to "Nortnevn Advocate ."l TE KUITI, This Day. A cold blizzard, accompanied by hail and electrical storms, has, during the past '4B hours, swept over the northern King Country, causing heavy mortality among young lambs, many of which were found frozen this morning. Unsettled conditions still prevail.

A COLD WEEK-END IN WHANGAREI. HALF AN INCH OF RAIN. The weather took another turn for the worse over the week-end, and, following cold, blustery conditions on Saturday, there were several heavy showers yesterday. Up till 9 o’clock this morning .57in of rain had been recorded. There was a strong wind this morning, and further heavy showers fell during the day. Last evening there wore several flashes of lightning and a little thunder. but no definite electrical disturbance. The temperature has dropped considerably in the past 48 hours. i IN FAR NORTH. I VIVID LIGHTNING. SIX COWS KILLED. f Special to “Northern Advocate.’’] MANGONUI, This Day. Squally southerly weather prevailed yesterday in the Mangonui district and culminated in a lightning and thunderstorm last night. No damage is reported in the immediate surroundings where the effects were not severely felt. It is reported from Oruru that at 111 p.m. on Sunday a particularly heavy | clap of thunder, accompanied by | severe flashes of lightning, shook j houses and aroused the occupants. Six valuable dairy cows, the property of Mr J. A. Maria, Oruru Valley, i which were sheltering under a poplar ! tree, were killed outright by lightning, j The tree was not extensively damaged | outwardly. 1