TERRIFIC CYCLONE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 253, 17 June 1932, Page 4

TERRIFIC CYCLONE

Our Own Correspondent)'

STRIKES WH AK AT AN E TOWN PLUNGED IN DARKNESS AND SEVERAL BUILDINGS UNROOFED. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

(From

WHAKATANE, Thursday. At 7.30 this evening, after a day of heavy rain and wind a cyclone of terrific force struck the centre of the Whakatane Borough areas, coming from the direction of Matata, and left a track of destruction in its wake. The Bay of Plenty Electric ; • Power Board's huildinfif in Commerce Street, was the first to suffer, when with terrific force, the roof, comprising iron and timber girders and weighing about eight tons, was Iifted completely and huge joists were thrown 100 yards away. The main street in the vicinity was littered with huge timber frairies and iron, while some of the stock was picked up 50 yards away. One large iron frame, weighing about a ton was thrown on to the roof of an adjoining two storey concrete private boarding house owned by Mrs. Snow. Piercing the iron roof, the frame crashed into an upstairs sitting room and was suspended about three feet from the fioor, A boarder, who was present in the room reading, had a narrow escape from injury. Another frame was thrown on to the mudguard of a motor car causing damage. Power Lines Swept Away. *■ En route, the storm struck a six roomed house at P'oro Poro. The whole of the roof was thrwn yards away and carried twelve tons of the power line away. t All Whakatane was plunged into darkness, and the main street near the Power Board building and at Poro Poro was a mass of tangled power and telegraph lines, and debris. The only toll communication pos--sible was with Opotiki, but owing to the- great work done by the Whakatane line staff, communication was available at 10 o'clock. At the borough quarry, a concrete mixing machine weighing ls tons, was turned eompletely over. It is not known at present the amount of the damage done to the power board building, but apart from structural damage, which will he extensive, considerable damage has been done to the stock and all electrical apparatus contained in the building . _________