VIOLENT STORMS IN CANTERBURY

Southland Times, Issue 25549, 18 December 1944, Page 4

VIOLENT STORMS IN CANTERBURY

Torrential Rain And Hail POULTRY KILLED AT OXFORD (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 17. The most violent series of electrical storms recalled by old identities occurred in most areas of Canterbury on Saturday afternoon and evening, bringing torrential rain and hail, accompanied by brilliant displays of lightning. The hail, which was general, cut a swathe of destruction half a mile wide from the coastal area of South Canterbury at Timaru inland and along the foothills beyond Oxford, in North Canterbury. Although the crops in other areas were damaged to varying degrees, it is thought that they will recover. In the narrow path of the worst hail, however, it is feared that the wheat, oats and seed crops have been entirely ruined and the root crops have been severely pounded. In the Springburn-Mt. Somers area of Ashburton county, 6.5 inches of rain fell in 19 hours from one o’clock on Saturday afternoon, and heavy rain was still falling today. After the hail storm had passed through this area the ground was crusted in places to a depth of seven inches, and four inches remained on the ground today. LIGHTNING STRIKES WOOLSHED A woolshed at Mt. Somers was struck by lightning, the building being split and the floor lifted. Telephone communications in the area were interrupted. Oxford had the heaviest hail recalled in 50 years. Flanking the town in two swathes hailstones two inches in diameter and weighing one and a-quarter ounces penetrated the ground to a depth of two inches and killed geese, ducks and fowls, broke windows and stripped small branches, as well as leaves, off trees. Livestock were severely bruised. At Oxford the crops were badly buffeted by north-west winds a month ago, and a fortnight ago about 50 per cent, of the crops on some farms were ruined by the hail, which later ruined the Loburn fruit crop. Saturday’s hail storm passed a mile south of the path taken by its predecessor, and damaged about 25 per cent, of the other crops at Oxford. The storm hit Christchurch about 8 p.m. on Saturday and lasted two hours. Torrential rain fell and some hail. Theatre crowds missed the worst of the storm. Distant thunder could be heard almost continuously for hours during the night. All the rivers in the province are in high flood, but no serious damage has I been reported.

HEAVY DAMAGE IN TIMARU

SHOPS COMPLETELY FLOODED (P.A.) TIMARU, December 17. Torrential rain and the most severe hailstorm experienced for many years hit Timaru on Saturday afternoon, causing damage which will probably run into thousands of pounds. Inside a little over an hour 173 points of rain fell. The hail lashed in from the southwest in a belt a mile wide, striking right across the business area. Inside a few minutes spoutings and downpipes were blocked and the rain forced its way inside the buildings. The volume was so great that in many cases ceilings gave way and the stock in the shops was saturated. The hail also banked up at the back of premises, blocking the drains, with the result that the water flowed in the shops, many being completely flooded. Wool and grain stores also suffered. It is estimated that about 2000 bales of wool were damaged, but it was difficult to estimate the loss, which is also likely to be considerable in small seeds. Several drapery firms and, booksellers will be heavy losers. In the area where the hail was heaviest it banked up to a depth of between three and four feet. Many cellars were flooded, some to a depth of six feet. The worst feature was that the visitation came during Christmas week, when all the shops were carrying larger stocks than usual, and the goods displayed caught the full force of the water as it poured through the ceilings. Much of the damaged stock is irreplaceable and practically none is covered by insurance. HEAVY RAIN" SHOWERS IN AUCKLAND WETTEST DECEMBER FOR MANY YEARS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, December 17. Well over an inch of cold rain fell in heavy showers in Auckland today. For residents in several districts the day started with the clatter of hailstones on the roofs at seven o’clock in the morning. The month’s total to this morning after 11 wet days was 4.22 in. This is already the wettest December for many years. WAIKAKA VALLEY AND MAITLAND HEAVY THUNDERSTORM A heavy thunderstorm struck the Waikaka Valley and Maitland districts on Saturday afternoon. The storm approached from the north-east, the time between the flashes of lightning and the claps of thunder, which seemed to be directly overhead, being only about three seconds. The downpour at Waikaka Valley was more severe than that of about a fortnight ago. The hills behind Maitland were white with hail stones. The Waikaka river rose rapidly and was still rising up to midday yesterday, although it did not cause serious flooding. There was, however, a big volume of surface water in the paddocks and creeks overflowed their banks.