SEVERE STORM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 June 1943, Page 4

SEVERE STORM

DAMAGE BY LIGHTNING RADIO SET EXPLODES Pnkekobe. June 24 Heavy falls of hail and rain and brief, but violent, electrical storms swept the Franklin district to-day A strong wind and rain accompanied an electrical storm this morning Something in the nature of a whirlwind in the Helvetia district uprooted five large macrocarpa trees be tween 60ft and 80ft high, and in falling they broke power and telephone lines. A gum-tree was blown down in the Pukekawa district, blocking a road- Lightning damaged a power transformer in the Mauku district, and the power supply was cut off for some time. Damage to an insulator interrupted the supply in the Onewhero district. There was a heavy fall of hail at Pukekohe at 4 p.m. and a heavier faff half an hour later, accompanied by thunder and lightning. During the storm, Mr and Mrs W G. Graham, of Carr street, Tuakau. had an alarm ing experience when lightning struck a radio set in a room in which they were sitting. The set exploded, and parts were strewn across the floorThe radio then caught fire, and flames shot up the wall, but were quickly extinguished. The electricity w’ires in the house were fused and the telephone damaged. Several other telephones in the district were put out of order by the lightning, and lines between Auckland and Pukekohe were affected.