Windy Wellington – Sydney Storm Kills One – El Salvador – Children Found – Iraq Protests

WINDY WELLINGTON: Gale force winds have battered the Southern part of NZ to mark the arrival of a round the world race fleet in Wellington. Cook Strait provided very challenging conditions for the lead boats tacking into Wellington. Even on shore the wind made its presence clear. The BT Challenge – 12 boats around the world the wrong way - couldn’t have picked a worse day to sail into Wellington said meteorologists. The 12 yachts are skippered by professionals but sailed by crew paying $100,000 each. Up to 1000 Dunedin residents lost their power in high winds. West Coast winds also very high. Did the wind affect the race? It was difficult for the yachts yes. The leading boat was only 10 nautical miles ahead towards the end and due to a technical failure lost its leading position.

SYDNEY STORM KILLS ONE: Sydney was also struck by a huge storm last night. One person was killed and several narrow escapes. The wild winds followed one of the hottest days ever with 46 degrees centigrade. A four story wall fell over at a Cinema complex. More than 2000 calls for help were received by police. “It was like an instant huricane”, says a woman.

EL SALVADOR: A man who clung to life in an air pocket for 30 hours after calling his friend on a cellphone gives hopes to rescuers working in San Salvador. Specialised dog teams are now on the ground. Things are made difficult by aftershocks continuing. The earthquake was felt throughout Central America.

CHILDREN FOUND: Back home to play today for two kids found yesterday in the bush at the Hunua falls after spending a night in the bush. Siddarth and Vidhi say they weren’t frightened by their ordeal. Varsha, the mother, says she was full of joy with tears on their return.

IRAQ PROTESTS: 10 years after the beginning of the Gulf War in 1990 protestors hold protests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch against the UN economic sanctions against Iraq. Footage from the Wellington protest where a coffin and flowers were presented to the US Embassy. A Christchurch Protestors says sanctions haven’t hurt Saddam Hussein’s regime. In Wellington Jim Consedine says that tonnes of depleted uranium have caused a tragedy of child mortality from cancer in Iraq.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz