ELECTRICAL STORM

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20720, 6 May 1937, Page 6

ELECTRICAL STORM

LIGHTNING WRECKS TRANSFORMERS MUCH MINOR DAMAGE By Telegraph ptese AssoriK’cc PALMERSTON N„ Msy 5. An electrical storm experienced in the city and surrounding area yesterday afternoon was so severe that it wrecked current transformers at the Bunnythorpe electrical sub-station, a comparatively rare occurrence. About 5 o'clock a vivid flash occurred northwest of the city and the electricity supply failed simultaneously. The heavy duty lightning arrestors at the substation failed to cope with the discharge. Some of the transformers caught fire, but the trouble was Isolated by the staff fire brigade and soon extinguished. The current was restored within a few minutes. Many instances of minor damage on consumers’ premises are reported. On the Newbury line the earth wire fretn the transformer to the ground was melted away by lightning. At Aokautere a fuse was blown in the residence of Mr A. K. Greves with a noise like the discharge of a shotgun. Part of the fuse material struck Mrs Greves in the back, leaving a distinct bruise. In addition to the electrical storm, several fails of hail occurred in the city and foothills where it remained for some time. The country is sodden as a resuit of heavy rain since Saturday, more than three and a half inches having fallen since then.

HOUSES SHAKEN FOUR COWS KILLED By Telegraph - Pre-, aywefanor AUCKLAND, May 5. A violent electrical storm occurred in the city and suburbs early this morning. After torrential rain and low temperatures during the night, heavy thunder occurred at 4 a.m. Houses shook, telephone wires sang, lightning played round wireless aerials and residents were awakened and concerned over possible damage, but none is reported. Between 6 and 7 o'clock protracted rolls of thunder accompanied by sheet lightning of a brilliant nature was experienced. Lightning killed four cows on Mr John Schlaepfers farm at Helvetia, about two miles from Pukekohe last night. The charge penetrated the ground to a depth of about 13in at two centres about 4Jft apart. It scattered grass and soil over an area of about three or four square feet at each centre, and then forked out in seven directions over the grass ripping up the turf and forking again. The lightning contacted with a fence about 18ft from where it struck the ground and partly stripped it of battens for about three chains, at the same time bursting out staples and splitting off the face of the posts over a total length of about 16 chains. Three of the cows were found lying dead after daybreak this morning within a radius of seven yards, with th? fourth about 40 yards away in a direct line with one of the fork cuts tracing across the turf. Eighteen cows in all were grazing in the paddock. The others were unh. .'med but were still showing signs of panic some hours afterward. A calf born to one during the night was in the best of fettle. The death of the four cows represents a loss of between £2O and £3O.