STORM AND RAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11842, 20 December 1901, Page 5

STORM AND RAIN.

A very severe thunderstorm passed over the city between three and four o'clock yesterday morning. The lightning was dazzling in. its brilliancy, flash succeeding flash with startling rapidity, while the peals of thunder were remarkable for their long duration. Several heavy- shows of rain fell during the continuance of the storm. . The Union Company's steamer Waihora, on her passage up from Gis'oorne, met the storm, the win-, blowing strongly from the north-west. Several steamers which arrived from coast ports yesterday also report meeting with the storm.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CO ON DE N'T. ] New Plymouth, Thursday.

The heaviest rain experienced here for years fell between five p.m. yesterday and nine o'clock this morning, accompanied in the earlier stages by. heavy thunder ' and vivid lightning, 3.48 inches of rain being registered in the above period. The Huatoki stream rose 9ft, and some slight damage was done to cellars, the heavies;; of which occurred to Messrs. Bayly, butcher, and Collis, photographer. Reports from the „ country; show that Waitafa was half under water through the river overflowing, and the Ohura Road near Pohokura is blocked with heavy landslips, the mail coach being unable to pass. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] Thames, Thursday." Very boisterous and showery weather prevailed here last night, and up to about nine o'clock to-day, including a very heavy thunderstorm between four and:five o'clock this morning. As a consequence the fruit trees have suffered severely, in many cases the trees having been completely denuded of their fruit. Another result of the unsettled weather has been the postponement till earl in February next of the Kauaeranga district schools' railway excursion to omali 11, which was to have taken place morrow.