NORTH ISLAND STORM

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1926, Page 1

NORTH ISLAND STORM

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. BY TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. ROTORUA, Jan. 23. A tremendous storm swept Rotorua for twenty-four hours, ending at midnight on Friday. Four and a quarter inches of rain fell. The damage was immaterial. Heavy thunder and lightning accompanied the rain. AUCKLAND, Jan. 23.

The Wairuna arrived from San Francisco. She hove to for three liouis in a high sea off the coast. The vessel sustained no damage. A north easterly gale of considerable severity swept over the city to-day, piling up a number of pleasure craft on the rocks, and inflicting minor damage on buildings exposed to the lull force of the wind. When. the storm was at its height in the early hours of the morning several shop verandahs in the city and suburbs were demolished, and in several instances windows were broken. Telegraphic communication uas lendered difficult during the greater part of the day, a number of lines both north and south of Auckland being interrupted by the wet conditions. Telephone lines suffered more seriously and long distance communication was impossible during a part of the day. Exciting scenes were witnessed in the harbour, when efforts were made to secure a number of small craft which had drifted away from their moorings. The damage caused by the gale among the yachts and launches was heavy tlie toll of the storm taking in the 16ft. yacht Limit, and half a dozen smaller craft. The Harbour Board’s launch and the motor pinnanees from TEALS. Diomedes had an extremely busy time rescuing the pleasure craft in the harbour from drifting out to sea, or being smashed on the rocks. Tho yacht Limit, which broke from her moorings was swept on to the rocks in the centre of Judge’s Bay, and after being buffeted about for several hours broke up finally about mid-day. Nothing remains of the vessel but a few floating pieces of wreckage. Passengers travelling between •the North Shore and the City by ferry during the forenoon had a particularly stormy passage. No cargo work was done on the wharves. Owing to the heavy rain, the sailing of the Marama for Sydney was postponed until three o’clock to-morrow afternoon. Small coastal ships were unable to sail. Incoming overseas ships report considerable delay.

The electric power failed in part of the city to-night, and trams stopped running for nearly an hour. The weather has now greatly moderated. DAAIAGE .FROM WIND. TAUAIARANUI, Jan. 22. High winds were experienced in the district yesterday, and the telegraph lines are down between Owhango and Knkahi. Communication will not he restored until midnight. The wind ripped the top off a house at Oio. Heavy rain fell last evening.