IRON FROM ROOFS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 189, 19 August 1935, Page 7

IRON FROM ROOFS

WHIPPED INTO AIR

WHIRLWIND AT BELL BLOCK

NEW PLYMOUTH, Aug. 17

The second whirlwind at Bell Block within a few days occurred late yesterday afternoon. It was preceded by a thunderclap and lighting Hash of terrifying intensity. A terrifice gale of wind, which lasted nearly 20 minutes, swept over the farm of Mr L. Giddy, three buildings damaged by the whirlwind having substantial timbers smashed and being partially unroofed. Mr Giddy was milking in a shed when it was struck by the whirlwind.

Sheets of iron were ripped off above his head, but he suffered no personal injury. The cows, some of which in the bails were badly frightened, in fact “nearly driven mad,” said Mr Giddy. When he resumed milking the last of the herd refused

to give any milk. The cows were still ■suspicious of the shed this morning. The first sign which Mr Giddy had of the whirlwind was when he saw hay and sheets of iron from a haystack about five chains away from the shed being lifted into the air. The wind merely touched the stack, and although half of it had been used for feed, it was not demolished. At the shed about 20 sheets of iron was carried into the air. The wind continued for about another three chains where it almost completely unroofed a garage and a barn. Iron from these roofs was carried about 100 yards and whipped into the air high over a belt of pine trees about 50 feet high. The iron was carried in two different directions, the main line of the whirlwind and at direct right-angles, much of it being completely crumpled. A Norfolk pine 40 feet high, near the house was twisted and bent by the whirlwind until its top almost touched the ground, but it was not broken. The fence was flattened, but neither the house nor the wireless was affected.