A TRAIL OF HAVOC

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19623, 3 February 1936, Page 3

A TRAIL OF HAVOC

NORTH ISLAND SWEPT THAMES PARTIALLY INUNDATED THE KARAKA CREEK OVERFLOWS EXTENSIVE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. THREE FATALITIES REPORTED.

A cyclonic storm of severe intensity swept the North Island on Saturday night and yesterday, leaving a trail of havoc in its wake. Extensive flooding was general, and road, rail and telegraphic communications have been badly disorganised. The damage is, so widespread that an accurate estimate is impossible yet.

Thames was inundated in the northern portion of the town through the overflow of the Karaka Creek, and much damage to property was caused by the flood waters and silting. The borough water-race is again blocked. The coastal and other adjacent areas were caught in the grip of the gale, and flood and stock losses are heavy. ■'

Thames borough was completely isolated for several hours yesterday through floods and slips blocking the roads and through interruptions in every direction to telegraphic connections. Fortunately there was little interruption to the electric power supply.

It is, estimated that to clean up the town will take several days, but the most serious set-back is the lack of water as the result of the slip in the water race.

Three fatalities are reported. An elderly miner named Webster lost his life at Puhoi, on the Thames Coast, when his shack was overwhelmed. At Kaitaia a young man named Botherill was washed away in a house which collapsed. At Pahnerston North a man was blown off a roof and fatally injured.