STORMS AND FIRES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11841, 24 January 1933, Page 5

STORMS AND FIRES

CYCLONIC CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA. many AREAS FLOODED. FIREBALL STRIKES A HOUSE. (U p \ hv Elec. Tel. Copyright SYDNEY, Jan. 23. A heavy downpour throughout the night flooded many low-lving areas in the metropolis. f The rain brought relief to the North Coast, where the butter producing districts have been anxious. Clarence Heads reported a fall of 51 in in 24 hours. The soaking is general throughout the State, though a few areas are still untouched.

The grass fires have mostly been extinguished. Severe electrical storms caused much damage during the week-end in many centres in the Riverina and northern border districts.

A thunderstorm between Adelaide and Fremantle disorganised telegrnpllie communication. A fireball struck a house at A’onng, narrowly missing a hoy, who had just been called from Ids bed by his mother.

A landslide blocked the railway line near Stanwell Park, on the IHn-

wnrra mule. Hail did much damage to orchards. Cyclonic conditions are now reported covering a wide area of Eastern Australia.

SEVEN PEOPLE DROWNED. C A AIDING PARTIES WASHED AWAY. father’s gallant fight for T.l FE. LAD'S HEROIC RESCUE OF GIRL. ISLAND COArPLETELY SUBMERGED. (U.P.A. hy Elec. Tel Copyright) tßec. .lan. 23, 8.16 p.rn.) SYDNEY, Jan. 23. During the terrific storm which lathed the coast, from two o'clock until dawn, seven people were drowned and others wore gallantly rescued when flood waters rushed on the valley at Stanwell Park and overwhelmed camping parries. The dead comprised father, mother, and three children, and two brothers of another family, namely. Vincent Davis, aged 46, his wife aged 38. their sons A invent. 13. years, Leslie, 9. and .Tack 2, also Jack Rhyllis 12. and her brother \l- - 8.

Following torrential rain °u the beach, the lagoon near where the touts were erected, overflowed. Some campers fought their way up a steep hill to seek shelter at the railway station. The Davis family and the Phyllis brothers were left marooned. Suddenly The tent was blown down. Air. Davis used a rope, which formed part of the tout fastenings to tie his family bv Dio wrist? to a tree.

The two Phyllis beys, whose camp was washed away. sought- shelter with the Davis family, and Mr. Davis also lied them to the rest of the pnriy.

Then strapping his baby Clifford to his shoulders. Mr. Davis plunged into the water in an attempt to reach land fifty yards away, and thu? secure help. Neither he nor the bnhy was seen again. The force of the water was so great that the rope holding the other members of the family to the tree snapped, and they wore swept towards the spa. A rope around Laurel Davis's wrist became entangled in a fallen tree and saved her life. Gordon Thnmp-on. aged 17. made five attempts to swim through the broiling torrent before he finally dragged her ashore. The island, moanwhile. became eompletelv submerged. The body of Mrs: Davis has boon recovered. The bodies of two others have been seen in the suri. WORST GALE FOR YEARS. Later reports ihax the results of last night’s r a in are the most serious for years. Hundreds of homes are flooded in Waterloo, Alexandria and neighbouring subnrfks. People awoke in hnd their beds almost awash. A cyclonic gale added miseries ro the situation. \ number of large shop windows near the Central Railway Station were smashed. Tram services were delayed on many lines by the accumulated water in low-1 ving' spots. The railways were interrupted on both the southern nnd the lUawarra lines, the latter being badly affected for fifteen to twenty miles. RIVER RISES FOURTEEN FEET.

Coogoc and Kensington Ovals v.eii turned into lakes, the water entering tho neighbouring houses. The. Nepean River rose fourteen foot at Penrith, where the water was throe feci, deep in the main street. Liverpool is isolated as fax a> road traffic is concerned. Coastal shipping movements were hampered during the early hours. The Weather Bureau warns shipping that wild weather is still expected avound the New South Wales coast.

MANY CAMPS WASHED AWAY

Six campers were rescued from a flood cd island in the Gcorgea River by 2 boat which was rushed from Livp.rpooi on a lorry. Many camps were washed away, and tho occupants' spent a perilous time awaiting daylight: TWO CHILDREN SWEPT AWAY BUT RESCUED. The damage in the city andsuhurbs, and to homes, shipping and other property is at present inestimable, but will probably exceed £50,000.

Two smhli children playing in n storm water channel at Canterbury were swept away by the onrush, of

water. A man fully clothed my;heel in and brought thorn out. hnrejv conscious. " t , i ; lIAWKESFJURY river rises EIGHTEEN’. FEET.' ' The Randwick racecourse is submerged to a. depth of two feet. " Tho Jlawkeshury River rose eighteen feet in eight hours. To-day the Richmond settlers were warned of danger of flood. *• The damage to the South Coast railway is so severe that it will he four days before a through service can Ik* restored. MAN KILLED BY LIGHTNING. A man named Headway, one of*.a group standing in the yard of a house at Young, wag killed, and the rest knocked unconscious by lightning this morning. Eery heavy rain continues in the A r omig district. FAMILY ENTRAPPED. BOY SAIOTHF.RED. R ESCUERS 'WORKING FEVERISHLY. (C.P.A. by Elec. Ted. Copyright:’ (Roe. Jan. 23. 8.10 p.rn.) SYDNEY. Jan. 23. A whole family was trapped in a cottage, which was engulfed in a landslide at Helensburgh, a small mining town on the Hlawarra line, and a boy fifteen years of age wa-s smothered. * V Rescuers are working feverishly to save the others. DAlvr BURST. half a dozen people reported DEAD. (U.P.A. hy Elec. Te». Copyright) (Roc-. Jan. 23, 7 p.m.) •BYDXEY, Jan. 23. A burst dam at Stauwell Park is reported to have caused the death of half a dozen persons, but details are at- present unobtainable. TWENTY-FOUR. INCHES' OF RAIN. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Jan. 23, 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 23. following are some rain readings for the twenty-four hours up to nine o’clock to-day: At Waterfall, 24 inches, largely between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.; at Randwick, 10|in; at Bexley. SJin. : at Earlwood, over 81 in. ; at Ala scot, 6in.

FURTHER HEAVY RAIN PREDICTED (U.P.A. by Elec. Te:. Copyright-) (Received Jan. 23, midnight.) SYDNEY, Jan. 23. Railway reports show that- extensive damage has been caused throughout the State. Alany services are i nterrupied. The Brisbane mail ' and Glen Innes mail trains are held up at- Werris Creek owing to washaway? and the line being swept away m patches over a distance of eleven milesThe State Aleteorolrgist- forecasts further "heavy falU of rain with, the danger of the flooding of all coastal rivers. Light- Tain continues in Sydney to-night.