PATH OF STORM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19694, 28 July 1938, Page 4

PATH OF STORM

SILT AND DEBRIS

ALBANY AND WAIWERA

STOCK SWEPT AWAY

DESTRUCTION OP FENCES

TALL TREES UPROOTED

(Pur Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day

Considerable damage by the storm on Tuesday night was reported by settlers at Albany and Waiwera.

At Albany three valuable cows and a bull were swept away and have not been seen since. Paddocks are covered with silt and one resident lost 4000 tomato plants.

Mr. C. If. Colton, who has lived 56 years in the district, said it was the worst storm he had experienced.

At Waiwera, the water scoured Out the foreshore and left a gap of lift, between the wharf an ( l the mainland. A creek at the back of the Albany Hotel was choked with debris. It quickly overflowed and so powerful was the onrush of water while the flood was at its height that a 75ft. pine tree was uprooted and swept Out of sight.

Mr. N. H. Norton, the licensee of the hotel, saw a large stack of hay in one of his paddocks disappear in the water, and when he went to survey the damage he discovered that one and a half miles of fencing hiid completely disappeared.

An additional loss was the stock mentioned above, and lie estimated that, at one time on the night of the storm, the paddock in which the animals had been grazing was covered with 12ft. of water.

A bull and some pigs were lost by Mr* H. L. Piper, wihose propertyadjoins the main highway north of the hotel.

The loser of the tomato plants was Mr. G. H. Watson, whose property abuts on the main road also, but on the opposite side. He said that the stormwater poured down the hillsides and scoured his land over an extensive area, covering the paddocks with silt and breaking down fences, and covering those which withstood the onslaught of water with debris of all descriptions.

HAWKE'S BAY FLOODS

HIGHWAYS UNDER WATER

SURGE IX TOWN STREETS

HORSEMAN'S ADVENTUR E

(Per Press Association.)

HASTINGS, this day

The third flood experienced in Hawke's Bay this winter covered large areas yesterday and although not as serious as the disastrous floods of February and April was sufficient again to" disrupt communications in several districts.

Roads in the northern portion of the province were especially affected. The Pakowhai road, near Hastings, was still blocked last night and the only entrance to Napier from the south was by way of Fernhill.

The Ngaruroro River last evening was up Uft. and the Tutaekuri had risen by over sft. above the normal level.

In spite of the heavy rain on the saturated countryside surprisingly little damage was apparent yesterday, although low-lying areas were flooded early and portions of Hastings, including main streets, were flooded yesterday morning. The rainfall at Hastings for the 24 hours up to 5 p.m. yesterday totalled 1.63 in.

High seas were running off Napier yesterday and were described by the harbourmaster, Captain A. McLachlan. as the heaviest he had seen for 14 years.

Late in the evening the Taradale Post Office, near Napier, reported that a majority of the roads in the area were under water. With a cessation of the ram, however, it was expected the position would improve rapidly. Hastings suffered more than Napier yesterday morning. After heavy rain throughout the night the western end of Heretaunga street was covered by a sheet of water and at the corner of Heretaunga and Nelson streets there was a miniature river.

At Ocean Beach, a resident, Mr. J. McCool, was thrown from his horse when crossing the flooded Waipuka Creek. The horse fell on him, pinning him down. When able to release himself, Mr. McCool clung to a partly submerged tree until rescued by his family.

DELUGE AT KAITAIA THREE INCHES OF RAIN FIVE-HOUR STORM (Per Press Association.) WHANGAREI, last night. Accompanied by thunder and lightning, a torrential downpour occurred in the far north yesterday. The storm lasted five hours, during which 3in. of rain fell at Kaitaia, which was marooned for some time as a result of rising rivers. No losses of stock have been reported 'and there is no flooding in the Whangarej district.