TERRIFIC STORMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21555, 28 July 1933, Page 6

TERRIFIC STORMS

LOSS OF SIX LIVES ALL KILLED BY LIGHTNING ENGLAND'S TRAIL OF HAVOC A remarkable succession of thunderstorms occurred in London and many other parts of England during the third week in June. Six persons were killed bv lightning —three in each of two storms—while many people were injured. Extensive damage was done to buildings and streets. Many houses were struck by lightning and there were several fires. Hail and torrential rain devastated crops, orchards and gardens and held up traffic. There were floods in several districts. Six men were struck by I'&htning in the London district on June 19. Three were killed and three seriously »nJ" red : A dot' was killed. On the outskirts of London lightning struck from a blue Bky and thunder roared while tne sun shone, The men killed were-.-William Allen, aged about 62; James Percy Scott, aged 17; Ewing Hunter, aged 70. Mr. Allen was struck in Woolwich Cemetery, where he and Albert Donnington had been working as grass cutters. Mr. Donnington was badly burned. The superintendent of the cemetery, Mr. 0. F. Wells, who was the first to find the two men, said: "Allen, lying on his back, was barely conscious when I arrived. Donnington lay on his stomach crying in his terrible pain that he was burned and could not move. I have got it. It's struck me,' he shouted." Providential Removal Mr. Wells said that in the morning more than thirty men had been at work on the same spot. In the afternoon, when they were moved to another part, »nlv Allen and Donnington remained. Theyouth Scott, and Mr. Hunter were killed in the neighbourhood of Epping Forest. When the storm broke there at about noon many people sheltered under trees. Scott and William Manning were under one tree, Scott was killed and Mr. Manning rendered unconscious. The last-mentioned was holding the collar of an Alsatian dog, which was killed. Mr. Hunter was walking in Epping Forest when a terrific lightning flash I almost enveloped him and he was instantly killed. Apparently he was walking with an umbrella up and the lightning struck that and buckled it up. A man was struck by lightning while he was walking at Denmark Hill, southeast London, and was detained in hospital with injuries to the face. About the time when the storm was at itsi height a man, aged about 40. fell from a waggon on which he was riding; at Elstree, and was run oyer by another waggon, with fatal injuries. Lightning, thunder and torrential rain came with remarkable suddenness while the Westenhangeir Selling Plate was being run at Folkestone, and there was iin immediate dash for shelter. Horses and jockeys raced through blinding rain. A telephonist who was operating on the grandstand had the telephone receiver knocked from his grasp by a flash of lightning. The trail havoc spread for hundreds of miles. Oyclist Drowned in a Street There was a renewal of heavy thunderstorms the following evening over a large part of Britain, causing 1 a trail of damage, extending from Liverpool to Dover. Extraordinary scenes occurred at Bootle, where hundreds of peoplo had to be rescued. A cyclist lost his life by attempting to ride through the fliood, where the water reached a depth of Bft. His machine apparently struck a submerged kerb and he disappeared into the water. During the height of the storm '• another man, Mr. Thomas Morrison, aged 57, of Bootle, collapsed in the street. He was taken to hospital, where he wfis found to be dead. Thirty mem- - bers of the "Fairwell" Club were imprisoned for four hours in the club premises, being rescued eventually by meanst of long ladders. Damage was done to house property to thß value of thousands of pounds and a large quantity of furniture was broken up amid the swirling waters. When the sewers overflowed, a large quantity of dirt and other refuse was deposited on the surface of the water. Mrs. Roberts, who lives at Bootle, said: "I was standing at my door watching the thunderstorm when I saw huge sheets of water flowing toward me. I fled to the upper rooms of the / hoiiso and watched the water gradually rising. Fortunately, it stopped within a few feet of the bathroom window. I eaw a man being carried along on his bicycle and he disappeared." Nine Motor-cars in Collision Nine motor-cars in London, skidding through the heavy rainstorm, were in collision the same evening within ten minutes in North End Road, a steep hill from Hampstead to Golders Green. For Eiome time the road was like a skating rink, with cars sliding helplessly from side to side. The trouble started when a saloon car braked suddenly on seeing another vehicle coming from a side road. The car swung completely round with all four wheels locked, mounted the pavement and crashed into a wall. Hardly had it rorne to rest when three cars which were following skidded into it. I The confusion was increased when a stream of cars and motor-cycles came down the hill. On seeing the mishaps that had already occurred, the drivers attempted to pull up, but their vehicles zig-zagged in all directions and became I locked: with each other. Women living in houses near the scene were terrified as crash after crash occurred. The pavement on one side was strewn with broken glass and damaged cars stood at all angles along the road. Two of the cars were so badly damaged that they had to ho towed away, but the others were able to crawl home with big dents in their wings and shattered windscreens. The only casualty was a woman who was cut by broken glass. Three More Men Killed Further storms occurred two days later (June 22), when three men were killed by lightning, two in the Walthamstow district and one at Gloucester. Two other men and a woman were struck in the neighbourhood of London, and two little girls received severe shock when a school was struck. Six people had thus been killed by lightning in the course of the week. This ' was the ninth successive day of thunder. U The further victims were:— Benjamin Spillsberg, aged 22; James Ha mpton, aged 25; and Lionel Shurmer. Mr. Spillsberg was killed while walking in the open on the marshes of the Walthamstow side of the river Lea. A / young woman who was with him was i injured. They were near some iron railings at the time. Mr Hampton was \ killed while sheltering under a tree on the towing path of the Lea at Edmonton. Two men who were with him were , 6eriotisl.v injured. Mr. Shurmer was 1 sheltering under a poplar tree, which was cleft in two. In Central London the deluge came at the height of the "rush-home" period. Business girls were caught by the rain. They had been deceived by the morning sunshine into going to I work in thin summer dresses. Gairdon parties in the West End were tipset and before the guests could reach shelter, they were drenched. In several of the squares cars had been left open and before the hoods could be put up I or the roofs closed, the cars were flooded. tL: