Morrinsville Battered By Whirlwind

Chronicle (Levin), 13 November 1948, Page 5

Morrinsville Battered By Whirlwind

AUCKLAND, Nov. 12. Accompanied by a. shortlived but vigorous whirlwind the heaviest hailstoi'fii Bver expefieneed ifi tlie borough swept Morrinsville fot 20 minutes this afterfidofi. In an area of a few square tttileS hkilstoiies, many- of them about att ifich in diameter, battered gardens and orchard . cr ops. The whirlwind SVvept "aeross part ' of Studholme and Thaifies Streets. at 3.30 p.m. and in 10 secoiids caused damage to two business premises. There were no casualties. The hfiil. quickly drove shoppers in the streets to shelter. The eannonade of-hail. and the erashing of thunder drowned out all other sounds, and in this eonfusion of noise a whirlwind stiddenly swept across part of the business area and the .amazed onlookers saw Ieaves and paper swept 50 feet ifito . the air. The corrugated iron verandah of Liddy's furnituxe sfore in Studholme Street was lifted into the .air and earried across the street. The window of a car parked nearby was. smashed by the' debris.^ Seconds later the whirlwind ripped out part of a corrugated iron-fence at the Bank of New Zealand 's building in Thames Street. Ten seconds after it first strUck the whirlwind had spctit its force. Outside its. narrow track the air h'ud been practically still. • Plants of. all kinds in Morrinsville -gardens were damaged by the hail which when the storm passed lay about. two inches deep on the ground. Leaves of vegetables were torn to tatters and this evening many home garcleners returned to find their spring plantings virtually ruined. Trees in orchards were stripped of fruit and- leaves. Districts only^a few miles from Morrinsville escaped the full weight of the hailstorm but heavy rain and^ thunder was general over most of Waikato.