STORM AT TEMUKA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1931, Page 3

STORM AT TEMUKA

POWER LINES DAMAGED. TEMUKA, January S. After five days of continuous nor'westers, Temuka and the nearby districts of Milford awl Clandebove were swept by a torrential rain, followed by blinding lightning and.itbunder at 1.15 this morning. The -' lightning “struck, the main Temuka-Clandehove power' line, splitting four poles to the ground and cracking and splintering two others, as well as blowing all the isolating and transformer fuses iri Milfold. Fortunately, beyond the destruction of electric power lines, no damage is reported, The power wrs utomafically switched off at the Torn ka sub-station at the time .the

- - ■ 11 ■ transformer fuses blew out, hut the driving of milking plants at Milford was not restored until 9 o’clock. The Milford factory, which usually begins work at 6 o’clock was unable to begin until 9 o’clock. yj As the result of the he|vy rains which preceded and followed •■the storm, the farms around Teumkaydiave received a little of the moisture they have required so urgently 'for some time past. The rain will be a blessing to all farmers, even those ib/who" had hay lying ready to he stacked, as in thoseycijses the hay dried again rapidly in the. light warm wind which'blew all the morning. ' \h ■t •,?