CYCLONIC STORM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 76, 23 December 1919, Page 8

CYCLONIC STORM

WANGANUI SEVERELY TRIED TREES UPROOTED AND WINDOWS BLOWN IN •Br TolecraDh—Special CorrcsDonilent.' Wanrjanui, December 22. ; Wnwrannj .was visited by a cyclonic storm of great violence last evening, and it was regarded by many old residents as boins one of tho worst within their knowledge ' Fortunately it was of short duration, otherwise "widespread destruction would have been paused, A gale had been blowing for a. couplo of days from the -west. At 7 o'clock it died down suddenly, and there was a perfect calm for ; a, time. Then all of a sudden a squall set in with violence, from the south, accompanied by heavy thunder and extremely vivid lightning. A Deculiar phenomenon was the fact that the township was enveloped in sand from the coast, and runny people became seriously alarmed at the rocking of their houses.

A number of trees were uprooted, and in that connection Mr. David Urquhart .had n miraculous escape. ."While ho was walking along Ingestro Street abig pino tree', was' blown over just behind him, falling across the footpath where ho had been walking a conplo of minutes before. In Queen's Park half a dozen pine trees jWero either rooted up or snapped off like nieces of sticks, while trees were blown down in various parts of the town. About' threo chains of tho fence'around the Recreation Grounds were levelled. Hose's coods pontoon near tho town • bridge sank, and it is believed it had a aianfitv of goods aboard. Other damasio in Wawranui included several windows blown in and fruit tiSes stripped. At Castleclill tho gale was particularly severe. The wind got beneath a ventilator of the Loan and Mercantile Company's new wool storo at Castlecliff, and blew off about two- hundred sheets of Toofins iron. Tho verandah of a, house in the seaside suburb was lifted and deposited sonw distance away. Worshippers in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church ■ became alarmed at tho tremors of tho building, which is of brick, and tho blowiiu in of a ventilator was tho sign of a hurried exit on the part of some members of the congregation. A steady downpour of rain cleared nwav after lasting for about, an hour, and bv 10 o'clock tho cyclone had passed awav. In the hill country around Wanganui abnormally cold weather was experienced yesterday, and snow was reported from Mansamahu and other-places -Not a irreal deal of damage was done to tho South Suit Although the gale was so violent the.sea was not as rough as would have been expected.. Tho dumpins of spoil is. having .a good effect, and the sea is not now breaking so much tiDon the ir.ternal traininjj-wall.