VIOLENT HURRICANE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 55, 5 March 1914, Page 7

VIOLENT HURRICANE.

MOUNTAINOUS SEAS. WIND-SWEPT ISLANDS. A violent hurricane which swept over three of the Shell Island group during the second week of January is reported lo have caused mountainous seas to swamp Kakahanga and Manahiki, the natives being compelled to lake to the boats until the storm subsided. Considerable damage was done to some of the crops, cocoanut trees being blown down and other, destruction, at present not known, being reported.

The island of Aitutaki also came in for a considerable storm, but here less damage was done. The other two islands are very low-lying, and when the seas rose they were completely submerged. The storm appears to have risen suddenly, taking a course due southerly, ami. after passing over the Shell Islands finally spout itself on the Cook Islands. It is not yet known whether any of those outlying groups were afTectcul.

The schooner Iluanni set out from Raratonga shortly after news arrived of the hurricane, and it is understood that she is still sailing between the various islands to discover the extent of the damage done.

The news of tbe hurricane arrived in the city with the receipt of a letter by Messrs. A. B. Donald. Ltd., local ship chandlers, from their traders, giving a report of the storm. The firm state that a schooner, which is known to have been in the vicinity of the hurricane, has not yet reported as having arrived at port, and that possibly she went down in the storm.

Regarding the extent of the damage to t-he fruit eroi"*s tbe firm has not yet received any information.