Cyclone Lashes N.S.W. And Queensland Towns

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30339, 15 January 1964, Page 13

Cyclone Lashes N.S.W. And Queensland Towns

(N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) SYDNEY, January 14. A cyclone brought devastation to Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales today, flattening some towns and flooding others.

The cyclone is travelling south at 35 miles an hour, bringing gales of more than 60 m.p.h. and more than an inch of rain an hour. It is expected to move out to sea tonight. Hundreds of people fled their homes as flash-floods burst river banks. The New South Wales township of Boggabilla was flattened, but sketchy reports from the area give no details of how the 300 residents fared. At Goondiwindi, just north of the border, 30 houses lost their roofs and the railway goods shed was flattened. At Pittsworth, 128 miles west of Brisbane, the police

station and many houses were unroofed. Half of the 1500 people of Barraba, on the banks of the Manilla river in northern New South Wales, fled when the river broke its banks. Police and civil defence authorities helped families in low-lying areas along the river banks to leave their homes as the river rose to 22ft, two feet above flood level. The water has completely covered some houses on the river banks, and is still rising. The cyclone has brought more than 12 inches of rain to north-west Queensland over the last two days and a half. Armidale, in northern New South Wales, had two inches of rain in three hours this afternoon. At St. George, in Southern Queensland, the cyclone damaged 80 houses. An aboriginal settlement just outside the township was wrecked, but nobody was injured. At Narrabri, 50 miles west of Barraba, floodwaters from the Namoi river have cut off the town. Several outlying homes have been evacuated and residents fear worse to come. At Moree, 422 miles northwest of Sydney, four indies of rain had fallen in 30 hours to midday today, and heavy rain was still falling. The Gwydir river is rising steadily. Flood danger is expected before tomorrow.