Another 'Windstorm' story

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 8, 26 July 1983, Page 8

Another 'Windstorm' story

Following last week's report of the 'Waimarino Windstorm' in this paper, the Ohakune police reported what was perhaps the most unusual story . . . and one that fairly describes the force of the wind that weekend. It bears reporting. A camper van with two occupants was seen to be in difficulty on the Ohakune Mountain Road by the driver of one of the big bulldozer tractors used to maintain the road. The van

had been parked in what was thought to be a protected corner against a bank by the owner-driver who wasn't prepared to risk driving any further. The tractor-driver decided the safest way to secure the van, which seemed to be on the verge of being blown over and off the road, was to lower the front bucket gently onto the roof of the van to hold it in a pincer like grip overnight . . all three persons (the tractor driver and the van's two oc-

cupants) were then believed to have returned to Ohakune in another vehicle. The following morning the camper van was still where it had been parked against the protective bank with some of its windows broken but with the roof unscathed. The reason? The tractor had been blown about 10 feet away from where it had been parked the previous night!