WHIRLWIND AT GREYMOUTH

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2540, 12 May 1881, Page 2

WHIRLWIND AT GREYMOUTH

SECOND EDITION

£4OOO WORTH OF PROPERTY DES TROYED. [By Telegraph.] Geetmouxh, May 12. About 5.30 this morning a whirlwind from the south-west direction went through the town, leaving its course marked by wrecked houses, chimneys blown down, verandahs and fences carried away. It first blew down a large pile-driver then wrecked most of the houses on the west side of McKay street, smashed up a new two story building used as a store owned by Mr Wykes. It blew the end out of the Great Western Hotel. The next place of importance to suffer was the English Church, one half of which was utterly smashed up, while the part left standing was twisted on the piles. The parsonage also was considerably damaged. A good deal of minor damage was done to private dwellings until the whirlwind struck the hill, where all trace of it was lost, the last house injured being Mr Perkin’s (lawyer), who lives on the slope of the hill. His verandah roof was carried fifty yards away. Some of the garden trees were broken by the wind. Other damage has been done. The total damage is estimated at f4DOO.