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A major tornado ripped through the suburb of Frankton causing horrendous damage. The power of the cyclone was incredible. Some buildings were snatched from their foundations, lifted and whirled away. Power poles, even concrete ones were snapped off like sticks. Some houses were completely flattened, pieces of the furniture and personal effects left scattered amongst the debris.
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Photograph: Commerce Street. Hamilton City Libraries image 13906. |
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Photograph: Unidentified house in Frankton.Hamilton City Libraries image 13912. |
Three people were killed, many more were injured and up to 150 houses were damaged or totally destroyed in the 10 minutes it took for the tornado to pass through Frankton. Amazingly the cyclone lifted as it reached the central commercial area then landed again in Hamilton East, tearing up trees and damaging two more houses before it headed out of the city towards Tamahere. The estimated cost of the cyclone was £1,000,000. The prime minister at the time Sir Peter Fraser flew to Hamilton that very afternoon to observe the damage that very afternoon.
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The local police sergeant, Sergeant Bonnington spoke of the scene at the time "Everything was flying bricks, roofing iron, fences, wire, tiles and great baulks of wood. ... I saw telegraph poles snapped off cleanly like carrots. The air was full of rubbish of all kinds. A light trailer, newly built by a man living 100 yards away from the police station was whirled past" (New Zealand Herald 26/8/1948 p. 6) A cheque which had been presented to the Bank of New South Wales was later found on the Cambridge Golf Course. |
Photograph: Keddell Street, looking west. Hamilton City Libraries image 13908. |
