A TORNADO.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1736, 30 April 1906, Page 2

A TORNADO.

; SWEEPS OVER THE WEST COAST. HOUSES UNROOFED AND VERANDAHS LIFTED BODILY AWAY. GRANDSTAND AND CHURCHES DAMAGED. (Per Press Association.) Greymoutb, last night. A tornado struck a portion of the town at 9.80 on Saturday night. The wiad blew with hurrioane foice. estimated at 78 miles on hour. It came from the Dorth west, and the area affected wes about two or three oha’ns width. The tornado carried all before it, blowing over fences, uprooting trees, bringing down brick chimneys, and breaking windows, and causing other damage. At the Trotting Club’s courae the grandstand was completely unroofed. The corrugated iron was scattered all over the course, aDd in its flight broke paliogs, fonces, and rails, and the fence round tbe course.

Sheets of iron from tbo roof wero carried a distance of a quarter of a mile. The damage done to eotne residences rondorod them temporarily uninhabitable At the Suburban Hotel the roof and posts of ’he re aiuiati were lifted bodily and d, p -it-.d behind tbe building. Tbe same thing happened to tbe voran dahs of two residences further up the street, three houses between being unin jured.

The damage to the Trotting Club’s grandstand, fence, and course is estimated at two or three hundred pounde. It will bo repaired immediately. Other damage it is impossible to esti mate, but the total will probably be under £I9OO.

Unconfirmed reports state that the Presbyterian Oburob at Brunner his been demolished, and that a church under ereotion at Blackball was shif.od ofl the piles.

Bailway communication to Otira has been interrupted owiog to a washout. There are reports that a store there has been demolished, aDd the co operative workers’ teals wrecked.