STORM DELUGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20017, 16 August 1939, Page 13

STORM DELUGE

AUCKLAND DISTURBANCE LIGHTNING- HITS LINE TRAMCARS AFFECTED TERRIFIC THUNDERCLAP (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this clay. A blinding flash of lightning, which occurred during an electric storm between G. 30 and 7 o’clock yesterday morning, affected the tramway .service in the Point Chevalier district, tv/o cars being tdtnporaiily put out of action. The thunder was particularly loud, cne clap being described as the worst experienced in Auckland over a period of years. The flash is believed to have struck the overhead tram wires and travelled along them until it was earthed through the lightning arrestors of the two tramcars. A fuse was blown in one of the cars and slight damage was caused to the other. Both were brought to the city depot under their own power after a brief delay and were returned to service after repairs had been carried out. Safety of Tramcars it was stated by Mr. A. E. Ford, manager of the Auckland Transport Board, that such occurrences were not rare. The equipment of the tramcars rendered them completely safe in such circumstances, and no effects would be experienced by passengers in the cars at the time. The only effect would be the stoppage of '‘he motors as a result of the interruption of the supply of power. Heavy rain squalls wc-re experienced throughout Monday night, particularly heavy showers which deluged the city area about 1.45 a.m. flooding the gutters and turning Queen street into a rushing stream of water. Heavy bursts of thunder occurred at intervals during the early hours of the morning, culminating in a severe storm at 6.30 o'clock. Residents of the western suburbs area, which was most affected, were startled out of their sleep iby one terrific clap, the burst being followed by dead calm.