Flood Danger In Wake Of Cyclone

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 13

Flood Danger In Wake Of Cyclone

(K.Z. Press Association— Copyright)

SYDNEY, July 10. A cyclone sweeping down the northern New South Wales coast has left a trail of wind and Hood damage. Yesterday’s cyclone smashed into the New South Wales north coast town of Port Macquarie, killing three men. Today, it brought danger of floods to towns on a 250-mile stretch of the coast.

Flood warnings have gone out to all towns, from Taree up to the Queensland border, 350 miles away, and ships have been warned of tremendous seas. The hardest-hit town today was Lismore, where lowlying areas were evacuated after 560 points of rain had fallen in a few hours this morning. Lismore's 23.000 people were preparing to face their worst flood in history. By mid-afternoon the Richmond river reached 37 feet and was rising at the rate of two feet an hour. Flood level is 43 feet. Citizens are already wad-

i ing out of low-lying areas ol the city as the runoff from torrential rain in the uplands to the west of the town meets the swollen river. Shopkeepers, ait Lismore sent out appeals over the local radio station during the morning, for volunteers to help them move their stock out of the reach of floodwaters. . This afternoon, shops in the town's main business section were flooded as the river rose to 33ft Sin. AU roads out of the town and railway lines to the | north and south have been cut. The bureau has renewed flood warnings for the Richmond, Tweed, Clarence, and Belliger rivers. The Pacific highway lias been cut by j floodwaters at Tabbminoble. between Woodburn and Harwood, and roads from Lismore to Casino, Bangalow and Nimban also have been cut. The highest rainfall recorded in New South Wales in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. was 693 points at Dorrigo. west of Coff's Harbour. Other heavy falls in the period were at Casino <526 points*. Maclean <437), Wauchope (370), Coff’s Harbour (256). Taree <244). Nambucca <228). and Macksville (234). The cyclone is moving slowly south, bringing torrents of rain and 50 m.p.h. winds. An army of rescuers is at work in Port Macquarie, where losses are now esti-; malted at £lOO.OOO and a relief i

ifund for victims has been started

Thirty people were injured there yesterday, one critically. One resident had two iron roofs on her home—its own and one which belonged to a bouse 200 yards away.