STORM SWEEPS UP WEST COAST

Chronicle (Levin), 17 February 1947, Page 6

STORM SWEEPS UP WEST COAST

TIIOUSANDS OF TREES BLOWN DOWN Leaving behind it a trail of destruction and disorder the eyelone swepl across the coast west of Palmerston North early 011 Haturday morning. Power lines were the main sufferors, thousands of trees being bodily uprooted or snapped ofl, taking the wires lo ihe ground. At oue stage a wind force of 03 ni.p.li. was recordod at Oliakea. Farmors in the Rongotcailiniatangi area fouiul thenisel ves vvitliou t power for niilking niachines and cows in some cases were turned ouL without being milked. Rowe's and Rosina Lines were inipassable when liuiulreds of trees were brought down. Linesnien of the Post and Telegra])h' Department and the A hina wa Lu-O rona Electric Power Board worked from ■ J a.m. on Haturday to 10.30 at night in .111 altenipt Lo restore communication and electric power. They . ontinued work at an early hour yesterday and again worked into Ihe night. Rosina Line was blockod for haif a mile by trees, estiniated to be in tlie vicinity of 200 to 300. The area of eountry aff'ected is between Rongo tea and the coast. It is reported that Hunter. Jle sufl'ercd to a lesser extent, !>ut the Horowhenua Electric Power Board also had a bus.y timo restoring power lines throughout its district. A liaclc was electrocuted when a tree cleaved a serviee power line at Rongotea. .Tlie Avliole of the Alanavvatu area, witli the exceptiou of Palmerston North, seemed to be aff'ected to some extent. Trees at Himatangi 011 the main soutli road were down. Pine plautations suff'ered lieavy loss in that area and at Foxton Beach. A great amount of structural damage was reported from Foxton Beach. A beach liouse owned by Air. J. H. Hornblow, 'of Pahnerstou Nortli, was partly 11 111*00 fed and a garage had its roof deposited in the next door back garden, A'erandahs losb slieets of iron, oue wrapping itself around a power pole. Windows were lieavy sufferers and sand inliltrated into houses, driven by the wind. Trees were uprooted at the camping ground and the whole of thc grouml was thieklv covered by a carpet of green pine needles. Gardens over the whole district were severely damaged. Electric and telephone wires were brought down when a tree east'of the beach was uprooted, isolating the j beach for a period. j The jetty built at the beach about

two ycafs ago was demolislied and thc new franievvork of the Manawata Boaliug Glub's pavilion was also tiattcned. As far as is kriovvu there have been no injnrios suff'ered as u result of thc eyelone.