EXTRAORDINARY THUNDERSTORM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 95, 8 April 1876, Page 4

EXTRAORDINARY THUNDERSTORM.

A terrific thunderstorm, accompanied by forked lightning, broke over Mount Gambier on Saturday, the lltb, ultimo. The South-Eastern Ensign relates that at abont three o'clock in the afternoon, when a large number of spectators had assembled in the local cricket-ground to witness a match between the Mount Gambier and Caaterton Clubs, a sudden, deafening, and indescribable crash of thunder, louder than the heaviest artillery, sounded with a startling and aweinspiring effect over the heads of . the players, accompanied by a blinding flash of lightning. Instantaneously a large gum tree just outside of the chain, was split from the top to the bottom like matchwood. Many of ithe onlookers at the same time were knocked down like a feather, and several of them who had hold of the wire which fenoes off the playing ground, experienced a shock like that of a galvanic battery, Scores ofv people were panic stricken, and rushed off the field as if they were being chased for their lives. An extraordinary: feature about the falling ! of the tree was the almost miraculous escape of three or four little, boys who were playing cricket directly underneath its branches; but it fortunately turned out,' although the boys were knocked down and buried by the weight of the foliage, no part of the large wood struck Ihem, and with the exception of a slight abrasion ef the skin of one little fellow, we are happy to say that nothing beyond a little fright was experienced by tbem.. At the telegraph ofßce, the shock coming without any warning, two operators were sent flying off their stools on to the floor. The wire of three relays was also melted, and, extraordinary to say, after coming through thelightningconductor, which was also: fused. Several telegraph-poles were split, and we are informed that to one pole, which was very badly damaged, Mr Mann has had fixed a broom-handle with an insulator on the top, so that communication shall not be stopped. A woman sitting on tbe fence outside of the cricket-ground was felled to the earth,, but suffered nothing beyond-a slight shaking.-. In this case the lightning was not confined to one part of tbe town only, as besides other damage done a large tree was destroyed about three miles on the road to Millicent at the same time, and instaneously with the same clap of thunder. A child carrying a basket of fruit was also knocked down in Commercial-street, but escaped without injury. One very singular thing occurred in connection wfith this storm. In Mr, Mackay's yard, ait the back of the hotel, there is a large pile bf empty bottles stacked, and, strange to say, one of the bottles was lifted by the lightning on to the roof of the house and there smashed, No casualties; occurred, . "' •; : *,