STORM HAVOC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23413, 1 August 1939, Page 8

STORM HAVOC

ELECTRIC FLASHES MANAIA SUFFERS CHEAT DAMAGE DONE MAN KNOCKED DOWN [ilY TKLKCRAPIT OWN* COTtRICSPOND F.XT] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday A brilliant flash of lightning which lit the whole sky, followed by a terrific peal of tliunder low over the centre or Manaia, was the first intimation residents had of what proved to be the worst eleclrica 1 storm in the history of the towns l ip. Havoc was wrought among electrical appliances, walls were scorched, and a man was thrown to tho ground stunned. The first terrific thunderclap was the only peal during the storm, whicn quickly abated. Buildings were rocked, many windows were shattered, and movable objects on shelves and brackets were smashed. It appeared that the greatest fury of the storm was spent on the southern side of the town. Lighting System Affected About half tho town's street lighting system was thrown out of order. A butcher's assistant, Mr. J. Quigan, had a remarkable escape. Ho was thrown to the ground and stunned by the thunder, which seemed to burst right over his head. He quickly recovered from the experience and suffered no after effects except slight shock. A scene "of great disorder greeted Mr. K. Davis when he opened his hairdressing saloon shortly after the storm. His radio set was strewn in particles around the floor, having been blown from a bracket on the wall. Fuses were blown from the electrical switchboard meters, electric elopers and electrical hot water service. Flex was twisted and burned and in several places the wall was blackened and scored by lightning. Hotel Windows Shattered A telephone in a house owned by Mr. J. Heatherley was torn from its fastenings and hurled to the floor. Extensive damage was done to the electrical installation at the Manaia Hotel. Ihe switchboard suffered heavy damage. Meters and fuses were torn from their fastenings and strewn about the floor. Several of the hotel windows were shattered. . Many business premises and homes lacked telephonic communication for several hours and electricians had a busy time repairing domestic appliances, transformers, fuses, telephones, and lines.

TARANAKI GALE i SOME NARROW ESCAPES SCAFFOLDING CRASHES THE POWER SUPPLY SUFFERS [by telegraph OWN correspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday Damage to property and telephone lines involving narrow escapes to persons near by and the dislocation of the electric power supply over a wide area of New Plymouth resulted from a southerly gale that swept Taranaki today. It was the climax to a cold and stormy -week-end. When the gale was at its height this morning it brought down a massive piece of scaffolding more than 40ft. high and 80ft. long fronting the northern side of concrete stores being erected for the New Plymouth Borough Council. Heavy uprights were snapped like matchwood at the base, with the result that hundreds 'of feet of timber crashed down over the steep unused roadway. Tho crash could be heard many chains away above the roar of tho wind. Tho danger of collapse had been foreseen and there were no workmen on the structure, but an endeavour to make it more secure with rope failed. At almost the same time as tho scaffolding fell the gale tore a large iron sign L4ft. by 9ft. from a service station in Liardet Street and sent it crashing to the footpath, where it narrowly missed a woman pedestrian and a car that was leaving the garage. The sign broke six sets of telephone wires in its fall, and carried away the wooden part of tho building projecting above the roof.