AN ELECTRIC STORM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 450, 4 February 1909, Page 3

AN ELECTRIC STORM.

Christchurch, February 1

Mr T. Davis, a Tai Tapu resident, had a startling adventure on Friday evening. He was bringing in cows from a paddock near his house, which paddock is belted by pines of great height. Whilst he was passing under one giant, 120 ft high, a vivid flash of lightning illumined the scene. This was followed by a thunder-clap. Mr Davis heard a splitting, rending crash, and bad a sensation of being surrounded by fire. All round him large splinters of wood fell, with dead branches and pine cones. The experience was most terrifying. Mr Davis lost little time in seeking shelter at Mr R. Macartney’s family residence, on the other side of the road. Men. in a whare close to Mr Davis’ paddock saw a ball of fire bouncing about the paddock like a football.

A Star correspondent v isited the locality on Saturday. The pine referred to is bare of green foliage, and has the appearance of being the highest in the plantation. The tree was struck about Soft from the ground, at which height a big slice had been torn out of the trunk. One large slab of timber was lying under the tree, another across the branches of an adjacent pine. From the spot where it had been struck, the tree was completely stripped of bark. For a radius of 25 yards the ground was strewn with flakes of bark, timber, dead branches and cones.

Mr Davis had a very narrow escape, and the tree acting as a lightning conductor no doubt saved his life.

What can only be described as a sheet of water followed the thunder, and in a minute’s time the roads were covered with torrents of water.

The storm lasted only a few minutes, but it was lively while it lasted, and the remainder of the evening was beautifully fine.