SEVERITY IN NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21791, 4 May 1934, Page 10

SEVERITY IN NORTH

THREE INCHES OF RAIN EXPERIENCE AT WHANGAREI GALE BREAKS WINDOWS' [by telegraph—OWN correspondent! WHANGAREI, Thursday Heavy rain, accompanied by a strong easterly gale, set in about midnight last night, resulting in the most severe storm AYhangarei and' surrounding districts have experienced for somo years. The storm eased "fchis afternoon, but increased again this evening. The rainfall up to this evening is over 3in., most of which fell during last night. During the past 48 hours the barometer fell SO points, which is a phenomenal drop. At high tide this morning the water was in places over the road which runs to the town wharf. Most the launch jetties in the vicinity of the town wharf were under water, some to the extent of from lift, to 2ft. * Several canvas awnings, signboards and portions of wooden parapets in the business area of the town were blown down.

At tho annual camp of the North Auckland Mounted Rifles at Kensington Park the men spent an unenviable night. Two large unoccupied tents -were blown down and most of the sleeping tents were partly under water. • Two houses in Whangarei suffered broken windows from \he exceptionally strong gusts of wind during the night.

Residents at Onerahi stato that the gale and the high seas running in the harbour are the worst experienced for very many years. Many dinghies and launches broke from their moorings and were recovered only with considerable diificulty. \ « Falling trees and the high wind have caused tremendous trouble to telephone communication throughout the North. An official stated this evening that the faults were everywhere and linesmen have been out all day.

PROVINCE SUFFERS , ELECTRIC POWER STOPPAGES FALLING TREES BREAK LINES Correspondents of the Herald in provincial centres telegraphed last evening regarding the storm as follows Pukekohe. —The easterly gale to-day caused some damage in the Franklin district. A violent gust blew over a. 30ft. extension to the pavilion at the Pukekohe Tennis Club's courts, wrenching it from the blocks and depositing it in a flattened condition. Bark stripped by, the wind ffom trees along the Pukekohe-Auckland road about a mile north of Paerata caught on the high-tension power lines, and the power was cut off for about three-quarters of an hour. 1 Pokeno. —The Mangatawhiri Stream its swollen. To-night it was still rising, and there may be a flood by morning over the" Pokeno-Paeroa Road where it traverses the Mangatawhiri Valley. Hamilton.—-An easterly storm raged with unabated severity throughout today and many light fences and hoardings Were blown down. A good deal of dislocation occurred in the Waikato telephone services through branches of trees falling and breaking, the lines. Breaks occurred at Eureka, Tirau and Putaruru. Cambridge.—The district experienced the worst weather to-day since. the middle of last winter. Such was the force of the wind that power poles were blown down ir. several parts of the district. Trees have been badly battered. - ' Te Aroha.—A north-easterly gale, with heavy rain, set in this morning, and river and streams quickly flooded. Low areas along the Waihou River became inundated in the afternoon and trees and fences suffered by the force of the gale. Stock were shifted from some of the lower lands, as a fldod was expected. At Te Aroha West trees were blown across the main road. _ Thames. —The town and district experienced a boisterous easterly storm to-day, accompanied by heavy rain. Locai records showed that nearly three inches of rain had fallen up to late this afternoon since the storm began, but although the various streams in the district are,in flood, no reports of damage by flooding have been received. The gale, however, caused minor damage in the town, but the most serious inconvenience was the stoppage of the electric-power supply owing to a fault in the transmission line. The power was off intermittently for about two hours.

Rotor ua.—Strong squally easterly winds, accompanied by heavy showers, were experienced to-day. Minor damage to fences and buildings was done. The electric-power supply was interrupted on several occasions during the afternoon and the town was in darkness for two hours early in the evening owing to a defect in the high-tension lines from Arapuni. Tauranga. The easterly wind reached gale force early this morning and, accompanied b\ driving showers, made the weather conditions very unpleasant. An exceptionally heavy sea has been running all day on/the coast and also in the harbour. Warkworth.—Creeks have risen as a result of to-day's rain and at several places near Puh<si the main north road was flooded to a depth of a few inches this morning. The sea along the coast was very rough. If present conditions continue, the Puhoi River and other streams in the district are likely to be in flood in the morning. Paparoa.—An easterly storm broke over the district overnight with continuous rain. The gale increased in intensity this morning and is continuing unabated. . « KAITAIA AND AWANUI DAMAGE TO FLA^MILL [BT TELEGRAPH —OWN . CORRESPONDENT] KAITAIA, Thursday The , fine weather changed yesterday, when heavy rain fell throughout the night, accompanied by wind reaching at times gale force. For the first time for many months, the rivers and creeks in the district are. running bankhigh. No roads are blocked. The' high wind last night uprooted trees in some localities and at Awanui a big pine tree fell across the road. Hoardings have been blown down and minor dam ago done to outbuildings and barns. The greatest damage occurred at Awanui, where a flaxmill was damaged. This mill has not been operating for some time. The large tents at the County Hospital at Kaitaia, used for the temporary storing of and equipment, were blown down. The tide this morning at Awanui was the highest there for many years, the water being over the banks of the river at the wharf, but no buildings j were flooded.