HURRICANE SWEEPS ON

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 301, 20 September 1928, Page 11

HURRICANE SWEEPS ON

FURTHER DESTRUCTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY 250 DEAD AND 1000 INJURED IN FLORIDA STORM WARNINGS SENT TO OTHER DISTRICTS The West Indian hurricane has swept over the Florida coast and smashed through Georgia, leaving misery and destruction in its wake. It is feared that 250 lives have been lost in Florida and a thousand people have been injured, while the property damage in the State is placed at twentyfive million dollars. Warnings of the approach of the storm have been sent to many places on the east coast of the United States.

(British Official Wireless.)

Rugby, September 18.

The West Indian hurricane, which lias travelled over 2000 miles since Thursday, has swept on over the Florida coast in a north-easterly direction. Immense damage has already been done, but the breakdown of communications in most places makes an accurate estimate of. material loss or number of deaths impossible at present. The Colonial Office, London, to-day received a communication from Nassau, capital of the Bahamas, reporting that considerable damage had been done, although there bad not been tiny loss of life. Nassau is organising relief for the outer islands if the Bahamas. Other reports received by the Colonial Office state that the whole island of Montserrat was badly hit. Twentylive deaths are reported at present. These include no Europeans. Approximately fifty persons were injured. All Government buildings have been stripped, several estates levelled to the ground, and two-thirds of all the peasants’ homes destroyed. In the Virgin Is'ands there was uioaenri damage, mostly to crops and roads, but no casualties. From Nevis comes the news of severe damage and thirteen deaths. I Antigua and Saint Kitts there was less serious damage. Messages of Sympathy from the King. The King has ent messages of sympathy to the Governors of the Leeward Islands, the Bahamas, and Jamaica at the loss of life and the damage resulting from the hurricane. The message to Jamaica is in respect of Turk’s Island, which is within the Governorship. The Admiralty announces that in consequence of the hurricane in the West Indies the cruiser Durban has been ordered to proceed to Colon in case help is required in the Bahamas. She can reach Nassau, if necessary, by September 25. The visits of the Durban to Acapulco and Punta Arenas have accordingly been cancelled. Prince George is serving on the Durban. TORRENTIAL RAIN IN SOME DISTRICTS ENTIRE EAST COAST ALARMED (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) Washington, September 18. While reports of the hurricane damage remain unconfirmed, there is little doubt that more than 100 persons were killed in Florida. It is estimated that 85 are dead at Palm Peach, while reports from inland cities indicate that the number of deaths exceed 30. The hurricane, which is now blowing with diminished velocity, suddenly veered in its course and resulted in high winds at Jacksonville and torrential rains at Savannah and Charleston, but neither of these latter cities is said to have sustained serious losses. The sudden falling in temperature along the entire east coast of the United States continues to cause alarm, but the present north-easterly course of the tornado encourages the belief that the hurricane is moving out to sea. Miami is organising relief units and rushing aid to the less fortunate sections of Florida. Civic officials at Miami issued a statement attesting the immunity of Florida from winter storms, thereby making tin heroic effort to quell fear in the minds of those who had contemplated a Florida vacation, many of whom are now likely to spend their vacation elsewhere.

President Coolidge’s plea for the alleviation of suffering in Porto Rico has already received a warm response in the United States. It is probable that a number of Government boats will be pressed into service for Porto Rican relief. Fragmentary dispatches continue to emphasise the destitution and declare that the hurricane was the worst that ever struck the West Indies.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) Miami, September IS. A death list of 139 in Southern Florida by the hurricane was reported on Tuesday. HURRICANE STILL RAGING NORTHWARD SHIPS RUSHING TO SHELTER FLOODS ADD TO TROUBLE (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. September 19, 7.5 p.m.) New York, September 19. The intimation that there are as many as 250 dead and a thousand injured in Florida is believed tj be well founded. The property damage in Florida alone is placed at twenty-five millions, while the tot.T for the entire stricken area may be a hundred millions. The hurricane is still raging northward, with little loss of intensity. The entire south-east is now cut off. Charleston and South Carolina cannot be reached in any manner, and unless there is immediately a decided shift in the storm’s course its two-thousand-mile path will be extended well northward. The hurricane smashed through Georgia, leaving misery and destruction in its wake. The coastguard is prepared to aid slopping as far north as Boston. All ships are rushing to shelter. The majority of the people dead in Florida have not been identified. Some centres are experiencing difficulty in burying all those stricken. Looting is feared and the whole State is asking for martial law. The Palm Beaches have been utterly wrecked. Trees and houses were swept, crushed and splintered in all directions. Practically no buildings of any sort are undamaged. The most serious loss of life seems to have been in the Lake Okeechobee region, where Hoods, bursting the dams, added to the work of the wind. This section was completely inundated and little outside aid is available. The caretakers of many homes belonging to wealthy residents reported the estates “ruined” when the roofs and walls collapsed, exposing the furnishing and art objects to the wind and rain, and they admitted looters to search the masses of debris. Washington was excited by an unfounded radio report that the hurricane would hit the capital. The National Meteorological Bureau, however, insisted that it will pass some distance south-east of Washington to-morrow. Wholesale warnings were issued to day for the east coast of the United States from Virginia capes to Atlantic Citv, while the effects of the storm will he felt as far north as Boston. The New York Weather Bureau has issued storm warnings, witl predictions ol high winds tint! heavy rain. Eleven inches of rain fell in Savannah and Georgia, and heavy rains fell in Norfolk, Virginia, to-day. The Governor of Florida, Mr. J. W. Martin, to-day appealed for the immediate supply of aid from the United States Department of War, indicating that the position is. probably even more se-ions than in the 1926 disaster. The Secretary of War. Mr. D. F. Davis, immediately ordered the Fourth Army Corps to render all aid possible. FLORIDA’S DEATH-ROLL (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) New York, September 19. (Rec. September 19. 11.15 p.m.) News from Jacksonville states that the total of those known to be dead in the Florida storm had mounted to 250 last night, and it was estimated that it would eventually reach 400. The property damage is estimated at from twenty-five to a hundred million dollars.