Heavy Rainfall Accompanies Gale In South Taranaki

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1942, Page 2

Heavy Rainfall Accompanies Gale In South Taranaki

Dislocation of power and telegraph lines. A bitter gale swept South Taranaki yesterday, and heavy rainfall occurred in most areas throughout the day Considerable damage to telegraph poles and overhead lines was caused over a wide area, and it is expected that the greater part of to-day will be required before all damage has been repaired. Telegraph linesmen were kept busy ftttending to many faults in an area b'ounded by Patea, Eltham and Opunake The most serious damage occurred at Kakaramea, where four telegraph poles vvere blown askew. Linesmen, however, were on the job before the wires were forced to accept the full weight of • the poles, and the breaking of the wires was averted. Many breaks in overhead wires were caused when high boxthorn hedges were blown over, and branches of trees were responsible for breaks and faults. Gangs were out all day yesterday in spite of the weather, which was the bitterest experienced for some time, and^ unless other damage occurred overnight it was expected they would be fully employed on repair work to-day. Damage to power installations was not as great, linesmen in the main being required to attend to damage to consumers* connections. Although rivers were running high, no road damage was reported by the Automobile Association (South Taranaki) last night.