TORRENTIAL STORM

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2613, 8 November 1915, Page 6

TORRENTIAL STORM

THRILLING ELECTRICAL DISPLAY

TERRIFIC THUNDER

HUTT RAILWAY DAMAGED

The pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning witnessed one of the most impressive electrical disturbances and rain storms which have visited "Wellington for twenty years. Tho rain commonced to drizzle soon after 7.30 p.m., and continued off and on, until about 1 a.m., when the wind and rain increased, and flashes of sheet lightiiing began to illumine tho eastern sky. These increased in brilliancy and frequency until it was ovident that Wellington was near to the contro of a phenomenal electrical storm. The appalling "artillery of the heavens'' appeared to burst right overhead with a. deafening roar, which, with the swish of the ever-increasing volumo of rain, made a din which awakened most people from their sleep. From about 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. the storm was at its worst. Grest flashes of lightning appeared to blaze over tho whole of the eastern sky, and momentarily threw in a startling white light', the turbulent surface of the harbour and tho waterfront.

And all this timo the rain teemed down, without any appreciable diminution. In the city a rainfall of 230 points. (2 3-10tli inches) wa6 • registered for th,e 21 hours ended' at 9.30 a.m. on. Saturday—ono of the heaviest falls in Wellington, since February 25, 1911, when it came down "in buckets" and recorded 632 points in 24 hours. As is generally the caso, the Tainfall at Wainui was oven heavier than in town. There a fall of 278 points (2.73 inches) was recorded for the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. on Saturday, which is almost a phenomenal fall for Wellington. The Damage, Beyond the fact that the water-chan-nels in many of the City streets were found to ho incapable of taking the volume of water in their catchment areas, and the streets were flooded for an hour or two, no particular damage was done by the storm in the City. In tho adjacent suburbs and country every stream became a brawling cataract. Along tho Hutt-Belmont Hoad tho most serious state of things was reported. At daylight it was found that several small sections of clay and rotten rock had fallen from tho face of the recent cuttings, and lay sprawled out across the broad highway, not big enough in quantity, however, to block the traffic. Down the gulches between Kaiwarra and Petone tho water must have almost bclched out over tho road, by the amount of olay silt and shingle that was washed clean across the highway. The culvert was unable to take the volumo of water at one spot on the city side of Ngahauranga, and the river of mud and water swopt clean over tho road and railway line into the sea. Before the road and line could be cloared of the flood-waters a breach had to be made in >the sea-wall. Tho residents out this iyay state that the rain was so heavy that they believe that there must have been something in the nature of cloud-burst in the vicinity. This idea was certainly supported by the appearance of the road; about a mile on tho city sido of Petone, ■ where a waterpacked ravino had ejected great boulders and tree trunks far out into the road, one big trunk having been caught in its flight by a telegraph post. As showing the force of the waters at this point, the carcasses.of three dead.cows were found at the foot of the hill, having evidently been caught in a trap whilst sheltering in tho gully from tho fury of t'ho storm.

Silt and debris wero lying feet deep on tho road and railway lino, and it was nearly midday before the trains wore able to got through. Belmont, too, suffered severely on account of tlio sudden cateract from tho hills. The Normandale Creek was flooded, and water rail riot in every' direction, banking up on either side of the line, and completely isolating one cottage for some hours. Half a milo higher up a culvert on Mr. T. Natusch's property became overburdened, and a vast quantity of liquid clay was carried across the road and deposited on Mr. Proline's property, which, with a oouplo of feet of mud on his concrete paths, presented a sorry sight. When the family awakened about 6 a.m. they found that the front rooms wero awash. Mr. Prebblo also found many of bis. poultry drowned. He estimates his loss at about £100.

Just past Belmont station the Belmont stream had brought down a pile of lumber and tree trunks, and stacked them agaiust the railway bridge, thereby damming itself up. Seeking an outlet, the water tore a channel along the railway bridge, and found an old outlet it had used before it was conducted under 'the bridge. When that change had been effected the old channel was filled in, and the bridge which crossed it had been covered up with filling. Tho flood waters soon got to work on this weakness, and washed the whole of it clean away, leaving the railway line hanging suspended in the air for a distance of about fifty yards. The foothridgo had been washed away, and the bridge itself, siipoortcd byi a single stud, looked fragile enough to give way Jit any time, and make the breach complete. Train Services Disorganised. In such a pligllt the Wellington-Wai-rarapa train arrangements , had to be altered. On account of the silt-clearing operations, tho first train from the Hutt .and Potoue did not, arrive in town until 10 a.m. The trains from the City ran out as usual, but were hold up at Ngahauranga. The service to beyond Belmont was, of course, completely disorganised, until well on m tho day, when trains were run to and from the City and Upper Hutt, tho passengers transferring at tho wash-out. As the 7.50 a.m. train to Wairarapa oould not leavo, passengers wero advised to proceed by way of Palmeraton_ North and the Manawatu Gorge, leaving by tho 9.10 Napier express. Some elected to do so, whilst others decided to tako their chances of getting _ through by the afternoon train, which, with a transfer at Belmont, they were able to do.