A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3711, 15 January 1891, Page 2

A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM.

Melbourne, January 5. A heavy thunderstorm passed over' " a'large portion of Victoria last Sunday evening. In the Rutherglen district the lightning was very vivid, and the thunder suggestive of a battery of artillery. Rain fell in torrents. Just before the storm, two boys, named Andrew Harrison, thirteen years old, it son of Mr Mellor Harrison, manager of Mr Reevps' vineyard at Liliput. and : William Olcorn, ten yoars of age, son of Mr Isaac Olcorn, of Liliput, were returning from the paddocks with cows. When the storm came on they took shelter under a tree, and the lightning struck the tree, killing both boys. A search party went out and found both lying under tbe tree. Harrison lay as if asleep, but Olcorn'a eves were wide open. It is reported from Deniliquin that something in the nature of a cyclone or tornado swept ovi-r the district, doing an immense amount of damage to property. A few minutes before the cyclone occurred a large black cloud wus coming towards the town from tho north-west, and directly afterwards the wind blew at a terrific rate, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Hailstones also fell of enormous nine. The storm lasted about half an hour, and during that time the inhabitants of the town were terror-stricken, and did not know what to do to Bave themselves or their property from destruction, as the wind was travelling with intense velocity. During .. the time the cyclone listed iron, timber, limbs of trees, and other debris was blown about in all directions, and immediately after* i wards there was a dead calm, It was then seen that an immense amount of damage had been done to 1 the buildings in the town. Scarcely , a house has escaped serious [ injury of one sort or another. About a score have beon completely destroyed, and many, damaged to the extent of hundreds of pounds, whilst dozenß have lost a chimnpy or two, which have fallen through the roofs. The banks of the Edwards River are literally covered with fallen trees and brandies, and many streat trees have been desJ troyed. Roofs of stables and outI houses were carried away in all directions, and . the streets this I morning were strewn with verandahs ) blown aw&y, iron, timber, trees, and f other debris. During the progress of the cyclone many narrow escapes 3 occurred through falling houses, t chimneys, and timber, and the losa r sustained by the town is very great. l The town now presents a peculiar I and dilapidated appearance. Many 3 of the houses which have not been , totally destroyed have been damaged I to such an extent that it would be t better to rebuild than repair them. ; -