ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21398, 24 January 1933, Page 9

ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE

MORE THAN £50,000 RAILWAY SERVICE STOPPED RANDWICK COURSE FLOODED LIGHTNING KILLS A MAN By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received January 23, 8.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 23 The damage caused by the storm in the city and suburbs to homes, shops and other property cannot be estimated at present, but probably it will exceed £50,000. Two small children who were playing in a storm water channel at Canterbury were swept away by an onrush of water. A man fully clothed rushed in and brought them out barely conscious. Randwick racecourse was submerged to a depth of two feet. The Hawkesbury River rose 18ft. in eight hours to-day. Richmond settlers have now been warned of the danger of flood. The damage to the south coast railway line is so -severe that it will he four days before the through service can be restored. Mr. Hedway, one of a group of people standing in the yard of a house at was killed and the rest were rendered unconscious by lightning this morning. Landslide Traps a Family Liverpool is isolated so far as road traffic is concerned. The movements of coastal shipping were hampered during the early hours of the morning. The Weather Bureau has warned shipping that wild weather is still to be expected around the coast of New South Wales. Six campers were rescued from a flooded island in the George River by the crew of a boat which was rushed from Liverpool on a lorry. Many camps were washed away and the former occupants spent a perilous time awaiting daylight. An entire family was trapped in a cottage which was engulfed in a landslide at Helensburgh, a small mining town on the Illawarra line. A boy of 15 was smothered, and rescuers are working feverishly to save the others. Some of the rainfall readings for the 24 hours to 9 a.m. to-day are:—Waterfall, 24in., largely between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.; Randwick, lOJin.; Bexley, B£in.; Earlwood, over B^in.; Mascot, Gin. Abnormality of the Rainfall Lightning struck a second house at Young, narrowly missing a boy who had just been called from his bed by his mother. Very heavy rain is still falling at Young. A landslide blocked the railway line near Stanwell Park. Hail did much damage to orchards. Heavy rain had fallen all night and flooded many of the low-lying areas of the metropolis. The rain brought relief to the North Coast, where the butter producers have been anxious. At Clarence Heads there was a rainfall of 5£ inches in 24 hours. The soaking was general throughout the tate, though a few areas are still untouched. Most of the grass fires have been extinguished. Washaways on Railways Severe electrical storms caused much damage in many centres of the Riverina and northern border districts, and thunderstorms between Adelaide and Fremantle disorganised telegraphic communication. Extensive damage was caused throughout the State to the railways. Many services are interrupted. The Brisbane and Glen Innes mail trains are held up at Wcrris Creek owing to washaways, the line having been swept away in jwtches over a distance of 11 miles. The State meteorologist forecasts further heavy rain with danger of floods in all coastal rivers.