TERRIFIC WIND

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 121, 4 May 1936, Page 6

TERRIFIC WIND

HOUSE LOSES ROOF.

Widespread Damage in Auckland Suburbs. OUTBREAK OF FIRE. Press Association— Copyright. Auckland, May 3. A gust of terrific force lifted the roof of a house at Mt. Eden on Saturday morning and one large section of more than i 9 sheets of iron attached to rafters was hurled 80 yards, striking a house on a higher level in the next street. The gust was like a whirlwind and onlookers saw the roof twirled in the air.'There was no warning, the roof being off in a moment. When it struck the second house the roof split in two and one section went right over the top. Some boards and a Window of the second house were broken and a large chimney was neatly sheared in two. Fortunately, though both houses were occupied no one was injured. Kain and hail fell, soaking the contents of me unroofed house. The other was habitable after temporary repairs had been made. Telephone, telegraph and electric supply services were all interrupted at Auckland for varying periods on Saturday. Five minor outbreaks of fire followed the breaking of power lines. ■Many dinghies and small craft on the Manukau Harbour weie swamped by hith seas, which swept over the Onehunga Wharf, although there were neap tide&

isolated instances of damage to buildings were reported and hoardings and hedges were biown over in the suburbs. Damage to the electrical signalling system caused a number of delays to trains in the area between Pukekohe and the King Country. Three houses and a motor-van at Onehunga were damaged by fire following the breaking of power lines on Saturday morning. The wireless aerial at Kawau Island, providing the only communication witn the mainland, was Mown down. A hailstorm of exceptional severity occurred in the afternoon and hail completely covered road surfaces, which appeared to be thick- with snow. Hoofs and iawns were white. Gash in Thigh. A severe gash in the thigh was received by Edward Brown, Ponsonby, when a window in his bedroom blew in and showered him with glass as he lay in bed. A St. John Ambulance driver narrowly escaped injury when one of 'die windows of the machine he was driving at Manurewa was blown in by a sudcen gust. Broken glass was scattered over Mm but he escaped without a scratch. At Hokitika where there was a continual roar of breaking buildings for several hours, a shop front was blown out in Revell Street and a hotel suffered damage.

Several roofs at Blackball were blown oG and verandahs demolished. Grey mouth was partially deprived of electrical current and numerous radio masts were levelled and roofs loosened. Power and telegraph lines ware damaged at many points. Windows were blown in and fences levelled at Wanganui. Sandbags were plac:!d on the roof of a wool store at Castiecliff to prevent serious damage. There was no major electric power disruption, although several p'cwer poles were blown down on a branch line riear.-Fordell. Telegraphic communication with outside districts from Wanganui was interrupted from Friday night but was -restored by, 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Damage at Westport appears to have teen of a minor nature, consisting of the brerking of a few plate-glass windows. Luring the forenoon at Karamea there was a wash-out near Market Cross and at iviillerton a small slip came down ,on the track. Only minor damage was done at Invercar t, ill. Lees were uprooted in the main street cf Greytown and several windows wete blown in at Master ton. No damage is reported from Timaru. The tail-end of the storm was experienced at Hastings and Napier last night. No damage of any appreciable kind was i caused. As is almost invariably the case high mountainous country protected Nelson from the storm.