ROTORUA ESCAPES CYCLONIC STORM

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5303, 16 January 1947, Page 4

ROTORUA ESCAPES CYCLONIC STORM

Ga!e Does Muc'i Damage In Opotiki District Actribu able to the cyelonic storm, centred about 400 miles north of Auckland city, hcavy rain showers lashed Rotorua at sporadic intervals on T-uesday r.ight. Gusts of wird of unusual veloeity shook buildings throughout the night, and in the early hours of yesterday morning, and heavy showers continued at in.ervals throughout yesterday. Lighter showers fell last night. Probably the strongest gale ever experienced in the Opotiki district blew for several hours early yesterday morning from the south-east. The storm left a trail of damage over the whole districv, many buildings having iron torn off their roofs or demolished, and in several instances chimneys were blown down. Trees were uprooted and severe damage «done to crops, fruit trees and gardens. Roads were blocked by fallen trees, while there were considerable interruptions of power and telephone connections. There were several narrovv escapes from injury from fiying iron and falling trees. The vessel, Matua, which left Auckland on Tuesday for Suva, later turned nor.h-west, apparently to avoid the centre of the storm. Twb aircraft from Sydney which left for Auckland at 9.30 a.m. yesterday were not expected to arrive until about 6.30 a.m. because of a delaying wind.