GIANT WATERSPOUT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18596, 5 January 1935, Page 4

GIANT WATERSPOUT

TARANAKI VISITATION

PATH OF FURY FROM SEA

A giant waterspout which came from the sea on Thursday caused a sensation when it crossed part of Mr. 11. Salwy's property at Bell Block, Taranaki. Fortunately, 'it broke without doing any great damage. As the spout came into the beach if, churned the ,sea into fury. It carried the sea-water up to a height of almost 100 ft. and cut a path in the sand as it crossed the l>each. It then tore, a track through the lupins and wrenched two branches from a eucalyptus tree.

In a whirling, roaring pillar,it travelled first in an easterly direction,' then suddenly turned to the south. It seemed that' Mi-. Salway's milking sheds and one of his cottages would be wrecked. However, after travelling about half a mile from the beach, the waterspout broke, and in breaking created'a weird spectacle. Half of the column fell in a deluge, while the other half ascended as though drawn into a grout vacuum. The falling portion then turned in an easterly direction, cariying with it lupin and quantities of grass. It crossed the main road, depositing some of the grass in the telegraph and power wires, and then continued across Mr. 1. Christian's property, where it, spent, itself, the remaining grass and lupin falling on the roof of Mr. Christianas house. Mr. T. MeGiven, who was close to the waterspout, said be was afraid that he would be overwhelmed in the roaring mass, which he said was 25ft. wide. The noise it made could be likened to the roar of a great aeroplane. The waterspout, was clearly seen from high points in New Plymouth.