CYCLONE HITS QUEENSLAND

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 13

CYCLONE HITS QUEENSLAND

Severe Damage Feared (N.Z. Press Aisoeiatton—ComjTigfit) (Rec. ■ 1130 p.m.) BRISBANE, February 16. Communications over a huge are* of north Queensland are blacked out tonight as ope of the worst cyclones in Queensland’s history lashes the northern coastline with winds of up to 100 miles ; an hour. , The full fury of the blovfr has been felt in the coastal towns of Ayr, Homehill and Bowen. So far, only sketchy reports of damage have been reaching Brisbane and the full extent of damage cannot be known until morning. Occasional reports coming in over an emergency radio network tell of unroofed houses, flattened crops and snapped telegraph poles.

Late tonight, the effects of the cyclone were being felt as far south’ as Proserpine, about 40 miles south of Bowen. z . Police at Proserpine said roofs were going everywhere. “If this keeps up, the damage is going to be catastrophic,” they said. Proserpine is the only town in the cyclone area still linked with Brisbane by telephone. Further south, at Mackay, police are evacuating people from low-lying areas, after torrential falls of up to 15 inches of rain. The rain has poured a heavy flood into the catchment of the Pioneer river, which flows through Mackay.