TORNADO HITS KAITAIA

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 282, 27 August 1942, Page 4

TORNADO HITS KAITAIA

Child Killed, Eight Injured PERIOD OF TERROR Damage Estimated At £60,000 (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WHANGAREI, August 26, A tornado which struck Kaitaia just before 11 o’clock this morning killed Terence White, aged 10 years, injured eight people who were sent to hospital, and did damage to property estimated at in the vicinity of £60,000. Though roofs were falling in occupied shops, the casualties all occurred at various spots in Commerce Street, being caused by flying pieces of iron, shattered window-panes and portions of ver-' anda posts.

The visitation was preceded by thunder and a heavy hailstorm, and was followed by light rain. It was only of two minutes’ duration, but for a large number in the heart of the town its was two minutes of concentrated terror.

The suburban areas escaped almost unharmed, but on the Awanui Road, portion of which was in the direct path of the tornado, a new house was lifted, turned completely round and dashed to pieces. Coming from a westerly direction the tornado hit the coast at Waipapakaurl, where considerable damage was done to property and machinery, and several persons were slightly injured. Hardest lilt in Kaitaia is the firm of Archibald Sons, Ltd,, whose two shops were extensively damaged. Twothirds of the roof of the main shop in Commerce Street was blown away. The replacement of stock and buildings is estimated to cost about £7OOO.

Kaitaia is under military control. Pickets have been on duty since 1 p.m. and will remain on guard throughout the night. A W.W.S.A. official opened the Service Clubroom immediately and it is estimated that within two hours between 400 and 500 hot meals and cups of tea were distributed to E.P.S. workers and members of military demolition squads. Clearing operations are proceeding at great speed. Most of the buildings affected are of wood, which is making temporary repairs much easier. Windows ■ are being boarded up, roofing material collected, the streets swept and stocks stored away from the weather. The damage and casualties in the town occurred within the space of five seconds, but the penetrating roaring noise continued for two minutes.

Some distance south of the town a milking-shed was flattened and, to quote the words of the owners, disappeared into the hills, Sheets of roofing iron whirled from the town are lying among high country in the vicinity of the reservoir, nearly two miles away. VIOLENT GALE Damage In Taranaki (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 26. Damage was done in many parts of the coastal districts of Taranaki today by a violent southerly gale, and one person was injured. The districts that suffered most severely were Oakura and Okato'. The roofs of the public hall and of a dwelling were blown off at Oakura and at Okato one house lost its roof. Several sheds were blown down and the chimney of a newly-built dwelling was razed. Trees on many farms were uprooted. Exceptionally heavy rain fell at Rahotu and entered the store and several (houses, the roofs of which were damaged by the storm. Power and telephone lines were broken in several localities and tho electricity supply to many farms in the Okato district had not been restored tonight.

Caught by a sharp gust at New Plymouth, an elderly woman, Miss A. Whiting, was blown over and dislocated a shoulder. She was admitted to hospital. WIND DELAYS TRAINS Manawatu Precaution Powerful winds which reached a velocity of 8-1 miles an hour caused trains to ibe held up in the Manawatu district last night. The stretch of line over which it was deemed dangerous for the -trains to travel when the wind was at its height was that between Shannon and Tokomaru, and the worst point was at Makerua. Three north-bound trains were affected. The New Plymouth railcar which leaves Wellington at 5.13 p.m. was delayed three hours, the Limited express which leaves Wellington at 7.15 p.m. was delayed an hour and a half, and Field’s express, which leaves Wellington at 5.47 p.m., was delayed two hours. These trains were held at Shannon till it was declared to be safe for them to continue. The only southbound train affected was that leaving Palmerston North at 5.12,-p.m. 'The decision not to let. the trains go on till the wind had dropped was not made because of any accident, or near accident caused by the gale. It was merely a safety measure. There is a genera] instruction in the Railways Department that . when the wind reaches a certain strength the district engineer is to be informed, and it is for him to decide whether traffic shall proceed or not. Thb maximum gust of 84 miles an hour was recorded at Shannon, which did not experience the worst of the wind, but there is no recording apparatus at Makerua.

GALES LASH PALMERSTON NORTH PALMERSTON N., August 2(5. Following high winds yesterday and throughout, the night, Palmerston North was lashed today with bitterly cold gnlefl and continuous rainfall, there .being little sign of abatement ns night approached. Apart from broken glass 111 a business house doors, caused through damming., no damage is reported, and electrical services wore but slightly affected.