DAMAGE FOLLOWING RECENT CYCLONE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5330, 18 February 1947, Page 5

DAMAGE FOLLOWING RECENT CYCLONE

( Press Assn.-

- HEAVY FRUIT UOSSES rain of little benefit to hydrg schemes

x —By Telpgraph — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON,- Last Night. The most serious losses from the week-encTs cyclo'nic storm have appeared in . the Hawke's Bay fruit growing area where it is estimated that 100,000 cases of apples, pears and peaches are now on the ground. On the other hand, ' Hawke's Bay pastures have benefitted to the extent of nve to seven inches of rain. Much of the wool exposed when the exhibition buildings at Rongotai, Wellington, collapsed, is now badly soaked. At Waiouru, in th-e centre of the Island, there-was a snowfall of four inches, Although the southern portions of the North Isalnd have had more than enough rain during the past few days the south erly deluge did not appreciably benefit the hydro-eleetric water supply at Waikaremoana and Taupo. The General Manager of the State Hydro-electric Department, Mr. F. T. M. Kissell, reported to-day that although the water level of Lake Waikaremoana rose by .2 of a foot, the siphons were in use, and promptly used that .extra supply as the demand was heavy. There was no appreeiable differenee in the level at-Lake Taupo. Mr. Kissell mentic-ned that the department did not intend to fill the lake above Karapiro dam until well into March. Growers' Loss About £50,000 The worst storm in llj) years lashed Hawke's Bay provinee and caused widespread and serious damage during the week-end. Upward of 100,000 cases of apples, pears and peaches of this season's meagre erops lie on the ground beneath the lmffeted and broken orchards. A large part of the pip erop in Hastings has been destroyed. Buildings were damaged, hundreds of tvees brought down, and communications and power supply badly -disrupted, * Jetty at Foxton Damaged The worst storm damage in the Manawatu area was at Foxton beaeh. The jetty, a comparatively new structure, was pushed rig-ht over. The boating club's pavilion which had been partially erected, is now jusfc a heap of twisted wood. Several houses were unroofed, oue of the worst to suffer being that of Mr. R. Hornhlow. Power and telephone Tines were damaged and verandahs and windows in several eottages and houses also. suffered damage. . Sand penetrated into almost every home close to the beach. Damage to trees was noticeahle as far inland as Himitangi. Hastings Casualty List Robin Drummond, aged nine years, of 403 Grays Road, Hastings, received concussion and a fracttired wrist when he was blown off a building at the height of the storm on Saturday. Mr. Percy Astridge, of 909 Ferguson Street, Hastings, suffered a fractured leg through being blown off his hieycle. Several people received medical treatment for minor injuries caused through the wind. Two girls^ received numerous abrasions when they were flung bodily from their bicycles hy a terrifie gust of wind in Railway Road. Warned by the omino-us creaking of two old willows, campers in two tents at Windsor Park, Hastings, barely had moved to safety when the trees crashed aeross the canvas.