THE STORM.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1122, 2 November 1883, Page 3

THE STORM.

A perfect tornado, which for violence and duration—it lasting continuously for about six hours—has never before been experience , passed over the town amt district.on Mon 'av morning last, During the Sun.lay tho weather was very unsettled, it blowing in snatches nearly the whole of the day; but in the evening it caljmj tdown,.ami by the appearance of the heavens, it betokened rain more than wind. However, about midnight tbe wind again commenced, but keeping iu no one direction, it veering nearly all round the compass, °nd kept increasing in violence till about 2 or 3 o’clock on the Monday morning, when its force was so retiring terrific. Everything but what was of the strongest pos-ible character succumbed to it; whole maiding* went dawn, amt roofs were torn away and Sent ah rling in the air as if made of paper, and not alighting till reaching hundreds of yards from where they were Hist dislodged. Fences were levelled, trees blown up by the loots, others snapped iu the middle, whilst all the time the air was loaded with an impenetrable cloud of dust and gravel, a ainst which no human being could face or stand, or throneh wlrio i i: was impossible to see more than a few yards. About 4 o’clock it began to lull, but still blew with such force as to keep every loose thing on the move, thus rendering it next to impossible, or at any rate unsafe, to venture outside to tee the extent of damage, or to attempt to stay further damage. Nearing 6 o’clock it calmed, and a steady rain fell for some hours, since when it has continued fine. S i far as th; damage to buildings, that cm lie repuire I and male good; but to the gardens a d orchards nothing can make them goo I, aall events for this season. The eff :er. to the trees- fruit trees especially—was to b ackeu and blast the few leaves that were left unstripped as if they had been scorched by fire, whilst they were completely denuded of fruit, the loss of fruit to those who LoU for a portion of their incomes to that source, though not calculable will fall heavy, an I we think at a low estimate L4OO O' LSOO would not cover the damage to buildings. The hurricane that passed over Clyde was North and South and for several miles can be traced in that direction, but it was comparatively narrow as on eitner side it was not experienced. From what we learn, however, right throughout the district, at about the same time, a strong gale was experienced, and all of the same blasting character. On the trees at Cromwell and Bannockburn a good deal of damage being done, but scarcely any agree as to the course of the wind. It appears as if the wind blew from all parts of the compass, or more as it it were an enormous whirlwind, as for instance on the Earnsclengh Station a terrific burst was felt, taking with it a portion of the verandah and a small part of the woo'sh-’d ; also loading up feme of the fences to the top with sand, completely burying them ; this wind come down the Earnsoleugh river gorge, and must have bee i East and West. At Alexandra there was wind, but nothing either to create alarm or to do damage.