THE STORM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1593, 3 August 1916, Page 3

THE STORM.

VERY SEVERE AT SHANNON. FALLEN TREE DERAILS TRAIN. ANOTHER TRAIN BLOWN OFF LINE. RAILWAY SERVICE DISORGANISED. The storm at Shannon yestex'day axxd to-day was the most severe ever experienced, and considerable damage has been done in all directions. The goods train that left Palmerston North at, 8 o'clock last night was derailed about a mile north of Makerna through striking a fallen tx - ee that the gale had blown across the track, the engine and one truck going off the line. This interfered with the service, the Auckland-Wellington up and down exjxx’esscs being delayed on account of the block. The line was cleared eaxly this moxaiing. The xxp Auckland express which usually passes through Shannon was delayed there until 4.5 o’clock this morning.

This morning there was no abatement in the storm, in fact, the force of the gale had increased, and was so severe that the raised Paeka-kariki-Palmerston North train which left Shannon at 9.30 o’clock was blown bodily oil! the line near Makerua, only the engine remaining on the track. The truck's and carriages fell over an embankment of about eight feet, but fortunately no one was injured. Outside of the railway men, there were only two passengers on the train. The rolling stock was considerably damaged.

The line was damaged and as a, •consequence the service between Palmerston North and Wellington has been held up. The up New Plymouth mail train, at the time of going to press, was still at Shannon, and the other trains, both up and down, are held up at different stations. A large number of platelayers are working on the line, ami it is expected that Ihe service will be resumed Ibis evening. The storm has done considerable damage in and around Shannon, roofs of buildings being blown off and building’s damaged. The A. and L. Seifert Flaxmilling Company’s mill buildings have been considerably knocked about, and the tibre in the paddocks “blown up” in all directions. The gale is still raging.