TRAIL OF DEATH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 67, 10 November 1931, Page 5

TRAIL OF DEATH

(Press Assn.-

terrific storm SEVERAL KILLED AND MUCH DAMAGE DONE IN-N.S.W. FIREBALLS, HAIL AND WIND

-By Telegraph. — Copyright.)

" SYDNEY, Monday. -A storm of tremendbus fur.y swept across the eastern half of the .State yesterday, leaving a-'trail iof death and desolation. • ■ *. It was heralded by unique cloud formation, which the State- MeterologT ist considers was ■.uHpreee.dented. in character. . .» . , . . (* ■At one stage rain fell at the rate of 4.20 inches- -an hour, and the wind reached 64 .miles an -hour. t .. v , . An old * swagman- who was sheltering under a bridge at Harden Was drowned in a creek. ' A station hand a Coura was killed when mustering sheep. -His body Was found half buried by hail. Two • other- country people were struck dead hy lightning. A family at Dee Why had a remarkable escape' from - -death when their home was struck and ■ practically demolished. Fireballs in two suburbs damaged houses, aqd ' gardens everywhere are ruined owing to the density of the hail. ... ' The storm also unroofed houses and garages, toppled chimneys, and sank harbour craft. In Surry Hills the hail banked up for a depth of two feet, while at other places it was reported to. he four feet high. Trams on the North Shore were prevented from rupning. Trains were delayed when lightning struck the railway insulators at Fairfield. , '