CYCLONIC STORM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18516, 29 March 1922, Page 5

CYCLONIC STORM

SEVERAL HOUSES DESTROYED. OCCUPANTS INJURED HOUSE LUTED INTO THE AHU (Pu Ukitbd Puss Aseocuno*.) AUCKLAND. Mafeb fc.. Wellsford felt the full force of the cyclonio storm on Sunday night. Observe**; aaid it was a great funnel-shaped cloud, like a gigantic whirlwind and waterspout, travelling from the north, and licking up every movable object in its course. At Te Hana it lifted a three-roomed hours, with a bride chimney, many feet into the /air, together with pine trees and sheet iron. Some of these were blown a great distance. A house was smashed to small pieces, some of the iron reaching Wellsford. At Wellsford the cyclone was a little to the north of the station, and on its way over the hills struck the house of Mr A. Osborn. Mr Osborn, with his wife aod Son, aged 19 years, who were in the' hoMfe, were lifted with the building, whk£ foie bodily, swirled round in the air, and carried some distance, and dashed to matchwood. The piano and furniture broken up, the timber being litteted round for . many chains. Iron window weights travelled ten chains, and were half-bdried in the clay hills. A neighbour, Mr Tony Ikeayich. whose fences and barn were partially wrecked before the gale reached Mr ' Osborn’s house, rushed to the aesistesoe of " his stricken neighbours, and found Mr and -s Osborn end their son in an unconscious condition in a paddock about five chains from the site of the house. _ Mr* Osborn was very seriously injured internally, and is in a serious condition. Mr Osborn was severely cut about the head and crushed. His sOn is severely bruised, . . At Warkwortb a house of six rooms, openpied by Mr Frank Martin, was wrecked faj wind. Timber and iron were scattered or*if a wide area. The chimney wss levelled, and a heavy grindstone was blown from the paddock. The family, who were on*. I’ milking, escaped injury, although Mr, Martin was slightly stunned by lightning. PUKEKOHB EAST. j MORE RESIDENCES DAMAGED. i AUCKLAND, March 28... / The storm also caused damage at Puko- j kohe East. A bouse owned by Mr K*Dy ■; was lifted off its blocks and carried bodily for 30 or 40ft, being twisted oesnpletaiy round. Sheets of iron were carried folly half a-mil* A shed covering a motor epr i owned by Mr Ferguson was carried assay, tearing the hood away and smashing-tlle 1 windscreen to atoms. The residence at -'j Messrs M'Kay and Carter was also oOnifidembly damaged. It it estimated that th* i damage to Mr Kelly’s residency amounts ] to over £SOO, to Mr Ferguson’s £200,* said J to Messrs M'Kay and Carter's about £BOOI 1