Coastal area from Oakura to Rahotu suffers most.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1942, Page 2

Coastal area from Oakura to Rahotu suffers most.

The most violent storm experienced in the coastal area from Oakura to Rahotu for , many years raged with unabating fury from the early hours of the morning until midday yesterday. Torrential rain was aocompanied by gales of wind which tore roo'fs from houses, uprooted huge trees and blew down sheds, chimneys and fences. Telephone communication was cut off and electric power lines damaged. The storm was at its peak in the Okato district about 9 o'clock yesterday morning, when the wind lifted the roof from a house in Dover Road belonging to Mrs. A. Wooldridge. Sheds in the district were blown down. Though as many broken power lines as possible were restored through the day, many farmers had to milk by hand last night. The chimney pf a new factory house at Leith Road was blown down in the morning. Lucky Escape. One resident on lower Timaru Road had a lucky escape when four large trees crashed down and fell across the road in front of him. He was driving to the factory when he saw a branch of a tree lying across the road. Stopping his lorry. he got out to move the branch, and while he was doing so he saw the trees immediately in front of him crash to the ground, torn out by the roots. Heavy rain fell until midday at Okato, and although the wind diminished in force in the afternoon conditions were still very rough last night. Telephone communication between Okato and New Plymouth, which was cut off from early morning, was restored at about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. So violent was the wind at Oakura that two roofs were torn off buildings. The Oakura hall suffered in this way, and part of one of its walls was also blown down. The roof of a house on the road leading to the beach was wrenched off and was last seen disappearing out to sea. Heavy Rain at Rahotu. Exceptionally heavy rain was recorded at Rahotu, where .the storm was- still violent last night. In addition to wind and rain, severe lightning was experienced. Damage was done to a storeroom in the shop of Hughsons Ltd. at Rahotu, where the roof leaked so badly when parts of it were torn off that water flooded the room. A resident described the downpour through the roof as being so heavy that it resembled water pouring from a hose into the room below, where stocks of flour, sugar and other perishable goods were stored. Mr. T. P. Hugh6on, with some assistants, spent most of the day on the roof of his shop, attempting to effect temporary repairs. It was the worst storm that had visited Rahotu for at least 10 years, said a resident. Trees and fences were blown down. and electric .power was cut off for part . of the morning and from 2 p.m. to

5.30 p.m., with the result that many housewives had to cook meals over open fires. Milking arrangements were considerably disorganised, farmers arriving at the factory up to about 11 o'clock in the morning after having milked by hand. Blizzard on Mountain. Since midday on Tuesday blizzard conditions have prevailed on Mount Egmont, and one of the heaviest falls of snow this winter is reported to be in progress. Last night heavy snow lay a mile above the gates on the road to the North Egmont hostel, and snow and sleet were falling at the gates. No damage to trees in the reserve had been reported last night, but the noise of the wind roaring through the bush was terrific, the gate-house keeper said. He thought it probable that Messrs. D. Sykes jnr. and A. Moss, who left the old mountain house at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning, were snowed in at Tahurangi Hut, where there were sufficient food and fuel for their needs until the storm cleared. At Dawson Falls snow had been falling heavily down to the gates since early morning, and visitors and provisions could not he brought up. . There was no wind at all on the Dawson Falls side of the mountain. Gusts of wind reaching a velocity of 54 miles an hour were recorded at New Plymouth yesterday morning. Heavy rain and strong wind were accompanied by a sudden fall of temperature. Pedesthrians who passed from sheltered streets into the wind had difficulty in keeping their footing. One or two windows were broken by the force of the wind, but no serious damage was reported at New Plymouth. At Waitara and Inglewood heavy rain and wind were experienced through the day, but the weather was much calmer last night.