SEVERE STORM

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3182, 26 May 1932, Page 4

SEVERE STORM

RELIEF CAMPS DESTROYED. MANY TENTS DESTROYED. (By Telegraph. Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Ha.voc among the tents of relief workers was caused by a fierce southwesterly gale which swept over the camps at Aka Aka and Maioro Beach early yesterday morning. At Aka Aka No. 2 camp only three tents out of 21 were left standing, while nine tents out of twelve were blown down at Maioro Beach. Scenes of desolation at both camps bore ample testimony to the force of the gale, which simply whipped the tents away from above the sleeping men, and scattered their personal belongings far afield. To add to their discomfort, heavy rain and sharp gusts bearing hail accompanied the gale, and the men were thoroughly wet almost before they had time to realise what had occurred.

The gx'eatest damage occurred at the Aka Aka camp, where the gale broke with surprising suddenness shortly after six o'clock, when it was barely daylight. In many instances tents were lifted bodily with wall-boards, poles and pegs, and blown away, some being carried as far as 30ft. from where they had been erected. Many of the tents were ruined, the fabric being ripped to shreds while the heavy ridge and side-poles were snapped like matchwood.

The suddenness of the gale completely surprised the 44 men at the camp. They had no time to save their personal! belongings.