SAND DUNES BREACHED

Chronicle (Levin), 21 June 1947, Page 6

SAND DUNES BREACHED

■Press AssocioJion

By Telegraph-

NEW PLYMOUTH, June 2Ur Breaehing tke sand dunes on the Waitara foreshore, raging seas swept on to batter two cottages situated about 51) feet above the normal high water mark and" the oceupants were forced to evacuate the cottages, removing ..their f urniture and belongings, before the in-.. vading waters reaehed their heights. Drift wood andsand w&re piled round the cottages to a depth of four feet.The cottages are situated iu a .depression behind the sand dunes about 22U yards west of .the mouth of the .Waitara River. The cottage hearest the high water mark was oecupied by Mr. and Mrs. Nuku and "family, including young children, and the seeond cottage, occupied by Mr. A. Lewis, is feet farther inland. Both are almost completely surrounded by sand dunes rising to about eight feet. " , When the last articles were bemg removed the men were wading waist deep in the cottages and when the high tide retreated, the cottages were let't surrounded by drift wood and logs. Exeeptionally high spring tides racea many yards above the normal high water marks at New Plymouth yesterday and terrific rollers bombarding the breakwater turned over huge* eoncrete blocks. Electrical storms occurre'd m most parts of North Taranaki durmg the day and last night snow was reported from all monntain resorts. A snp partly blocks the • Ahititi-Ohura Roaa about seven miles from Ahititi. Electrical storms occurred intermittentijr throughout Wednesday and yesterday Ln most parts of North Taranaki. Two telephones were struclc by lightning at North Mount Egmont on Wednesday and a section of the Okau private line was blown to pieces yesterday. Tlie main line between Uruti and New Plymouth was out of order while -many tuses were blown out in the Opunalte Eleetric Power Board's area between Warea and Okato. Employees of the Post and Telegraph Department visiteu, the North Egmont hostel yesterday to repair the storm damage caused the day before. Staff and guests were startieci about midday when a blinding flash and an explosion weer followed by thunder that seemed to be just overhead. lt was found that a telephone had b.eeii struek, the wires being damaged for a considerable • lengtli and a wai! in - the vicinity of the telephone being charreU. A simi(ar experience occurred at -tne lodge at the gates wliere .the :t$lep'hone, wireless and stove were fused;;;:.A 'line from the gate to.fhe hostel- w,a&. feuna burned into shor? lengths, A-'tempor-ary line was installed y esf etda-y " an(l normal commuuica.tion wmb night. 1