TERRIFIC CYCLONE

Evening Star, Issue 22595, 12 March 1937, Page 9

TERRIFIC CYCLONE

darwih severely damaged HALF THE TOWH'S EUILDIHCS HAZED Press Association— By' Telegraph-Copyright DARWIN, March 11. Almost the whole of Darwin township was severely damaged by a terrific cyclone last night, and l a pie.imiuary estimate of the damage is £IOO,OOO. There has been one death. The wind l reached a velocity of 100 miles an hour, razing half the town’s weatherboard buildings and unroofing others. The acting administrator of the Northern Territory (Mr Giles) telegraphed to Canberra, saying that Government House, the Government offices, the Customs House, and the public school were badly damaged'. The residents of Darwin had a night of terror.

Grave anxiety is still felt for the safety of 50 pearling luggers and the mission lugger on the grounds east of Goulburn Island.

TDWN LIKE BATTLEFIELD FEARS FOR PEARLING FLEET K DARWIN, March 12. (Received March 12, at 11.5 a.m.) Not one building in Darwin escaped damage, and every tree for miles around has been denuded of its branches, or. uprooted. The' town looks like a battlefield, with its twisted iron, broken woodwork, and trees littering the streets.

Fences were blown bodily on to the roadways, or hurled hundreds of yards and wrapped like paper around telegraph poles. Not one windmill is left standing. The terrors of the cyclone were rendered more alarming when the electric light failed.

An aboriginal was killed through being crushed in the wreckage of a house. No word has been received from the outlying mission stations. It is feared that the cyclone would have been more intense at Bathurst Island than at Darwin. It is unlikely that any news of the pearling fleet will be received for several days. . The crews total 500.

GRANT FROM FEDERAL CABINET CANBERRA, March 12. Cabinet has granted £2,000 to assist those who suffered loss at Darwin. The amount may be increased when more detailed information of the damage is received.