Houses Damaged; Railway Services Disrupted

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1948, Page 5

Houses Damaged; Railway Services Disrupted

( N.Z.P.A. -

-Reuteu

Coyyright)

Received Monday, 7 p.m. MELBOUKNE, Sept. 6c Yiolent westerly winds reacliing. 90 miles an hour, are leaving a trail of damage througli Melbounie and' parts of Victoria. ■ The country and metropolitan railway services have been disrupted and two radio masts were iorii oi¥ eity roofs. * A* worker in the Government operated Yallourn open cut mine, was killed instautly when a 400lon spreader toppled over on him. Eil'ty tombstones were iiattened tn the Geelong cemetery. ■\YhiletAlelbounie eounted up its toll of unroofed houses, wrecked stieds, fiattenecl hoardings and broken windows, and took precautions against a gale still blowitig at full strength under sunny skies, the Weather Bureau issued a forecast with a classic understatement "boisterous winds." Geelong reported a tornado which inflieted damage and during which a milkman was critically injured when his horse bolted. The railways over a wide area were tlirown off sehedule with trees, hoardings and level crossing signs blown across the permanent vvay. Tlie telephone and telegraphic systerns were incapacitated and station buildings damaged. Three lions eseaped from the .Melbouriie Zoo when a falling free tore out oue side of their eage. Fortunately they were aged toily six months and were found liewildered and wandering aimlessly nearhy.