BOY KILLED IN TORNADO

Southland Times, Issue 24833, 27 August 1942, Page 4

BOY KILLED IN TORNADO

Extensive Damage At Kaitaia

(P.A.) WHANGAREI, August 26. A tornado which struck Kaitaia just before 11 o’clock this morning killed Terence White, aged 10, injured eight persons, who were sent to hospital, and did damage to property estimated at about £60,000. Although roofs were fall- , ing in occupied shops, the casualties all occurred at various sopts in Commerce street and were caused by flying pieces of iron, shattered window panes and portions of veranda posts. The visitation, preceded by thunder and a heavy hailstorm and followed by light rain, was only of two minutes’ duration, but for a large number in the heart of the town it was two minutes of concentrated terror. Suburban areas escaped almost undamaged, but on Awanui road, a portion of which was in the direct path of the tornado, a new house was lifted, turned completely round and dashed to pieces. Coming from a westerly direction, the tornado hit the coast at Waipapakauri, where considerable damage was done to property and machinery. Several persons were slightly injured. STORE WRECKED The hardest hit is the firm of Archibald and Sons, Ltd., whose two shops were extensively damaged. Two-thirds of the roof of their main shop in Commerse street was blown away and a store on the comer of Awanui road was wrecked. Replacement of the stock and buildings is estimated to cost nearly £7OOO. Kaitaia is under military control. Pickets have been on duty since 1 p.m. and will remain on guard throughout the night. . The W.W.S.A. opened its service club room immediately, and it is estimated that within two hours between 400 and 500 hot meals and cups of tea were distributed to E.P.S. workers and members of the military demolition squads. The clearing up operations are proceeding at a marvellous speed. Most of the buildings affected are of wood, which will make temporary repairs much easier. Windows are being boarded up with roofing material collected, the streets swept and stocks stored away from the weather. The damage and casualties in the town occurred within a space of five seconds, but a penetrating roaring noise continued for two minutes. Some distance south of the town a milking -shed was flattened and, to quote the words of the owners, disappeared into the hills. Sheets of roofing iron whirled from file town are lying among the high country in the vicinity of the reservoir nearly two miles away. DAMAGE IN TARANAKI (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 26. Damage was done in many parts of the coastal district of Taranaki today by a violent southerly gale. One person was injured. The districts that suffered most severely were Oakura and Okato. The roofs of the public hall and of a dwelling were blown off at Oakura and at Okato one house lost its roof. Several sheds were blown down, and the chimney of a newlybuilt dwelling was razed. Trees on many farms were uprooted. , „ - . Exceptionally heavy rain fell at Ranotu and entered the store and several houses, the roofs of which were damaged by the storm. Power and telephone lines were broken in several localities, and the electricity supply to many farms in the Okato district had not been restored tonight. Caught by a sharp gust at New Plymouth, an elderly woman, Miss A. Whiting, was blown over and suffered a dislocated shoulder. She was admitted to hospital.