HIGH SPRING TIM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 27 March 1936, Page 5

HIGH SPRING TIM

BACKED BY STRONG GALE GREAT DAMAGE ON AUCKLAND WATERFRONT BUILDINGS WASHED FROM FOUNDATIONS BOATS SMASHED TO SPLINTERS (By Telegraph —Press Association) AUCKLAND, This Day. Carried to a record height- by a strong easterly gale a spring tide at Auckland did great damage. The tide gauge showed a level of 13ft bin above low water, the previous record being Lut % Extensive damage, greater than that caused by the cyclonic gale early last month was done bv the phenomenally high spring tide backed by a strong north-east gale along the North Shore waterfront. At the peak of the tide and storm 12-feet combers pounded and crashed on to the beaches and over the stone wall embankments, to wash buildings from their foundations, and to. silt over and wash out reserves, roads, and private property. Many smaller boats were smashed to splinters, and a trip round tho beaches revealed damage in various forms running into many hundreds of pounds. . At North Shore waves broke previous bounds and property owners were helpless to prevent disaster. Though damage on all sides was extensive only in a few cases did the water actually enter homes. About one-third of a concrete sea wall at Mission Bay was destroyed when waves washed across the flat in front of shops and caused flooding in the roadway. . Flooding was even greater at Kolnmarama. Several shops were flooded to a depth of 10 inches, but as stocks had been placed on high shelves no damage resulted. \tater swept into gardens and covered streets with seaweed and silt. Several dinghies were swamped but none were destroyed. LOSS OF LIVE STOCK Reports from Kaitaia state that thousands of acres of farm lands round Awanui harbour were flooded by the sea. In some places the land was covered to a depth of over four feet. At least 75 pigs were drowned. The districts chiefly affected are Unahi, Waipapakauri and Kumi, all bordering on Awanui harbour. Many hundreds of tons of hay m stacks have been damaged, and it is stated pastures will be useless until next summer on account of the salt watoi. The waters are covered by a countless number of crickets and caterpillars, the latter pests having been very thick in this area during tho past month. Most of the cattle have been taken from the area and some of the settlers are evacuating their homes. CYCLONIC GALE AT THAMES TRAIL OF DAMAGE THAMES, This Day. A cyclonic gale struck Thames and raged with fierce intensity leaving a trail of damage in its wake. Everywhere, fences, trees, wireless masts, and sheds were demolished and roofing iron torn off in all directions, but in only a few instances was there very serious damage to property. ■ An exceptionally fierce gust was experienced, shaking buildings like an earthquake. COAST ROaFpOUNDED WATERFRONT AREAS FLOODED THAMES, This Day. Heavy seas at high tide last night between ten o’clock and midnight pounded the Thames coast road, causing considerable damage and flooding of waterfront areas. The worst portion of damage was between Tararu and Thornton’s Bay, a distance of six miles, where the road in places is undermined and partly washed away. Almost the whole stretch is strewn with largo boulders, driftwood and sand in places over a foot deep. The road in parts is only negotiable to one way traffic. The telegraph line along the foreshore is down, and several poles were snapped. Properties fronting the various bays were damaged, fences and gates being torn away. Between Waiomo and Tapu further up the Firth some ten chains of stone retaining wall were demolished. The estimated cost of replacing it is £SOO. worst USTrecord CHIMNEYS AND TREES DOWN AT TE AROHA PIGS AND COWS ELECTROCUTED TE AROHA, Tin’s Day. Yesterday’s northeasterly storm accompanied by heavy rain struck Te A rob a _ with cyclonic force. Scores of chimneys were blown down, massive trees uprooted and many buildings in all parts of the town unroofed and considerably damaged. The District High School, tho Catholic school, two railway department bouses, the railway goods shed, the Bonnie Glen and railway boarding houses and - dairy factoiy suffered considerably. Several residences were partly demolished and numerous sheds and garages blown down. At Waihou, Mr A. Moore’s shed was unroofed and several pigs and two cows electrocuted. The storm was the worst on record.