CYCLONE AT NOUMEA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9183, 6 April 1910, Page 3

CYCLONE AT NOUMEA.

AN'EASTER VISITATION,

GREAT DAMAGE DONE.

(Bx Elects jo Telegraph—Copyright.) (Per Press Association.) SYDNEY, April 5.

Details of the cyclone at Noumea on Easter Sunday night state that a high wind drove huge waves over the quay and the vessels anchored near by. chieflly consisting of small ketches, fishing boats, and punts, many of which sank at their moorings. The coasting steamer Cagore was capsized. The ship Guetharg_ broke away from her moorings and received considerable damage through colliding with the Mes-sageries-Mantimes mail steamer Villc de la Ciotat. The cyclone reached its height at midnight. The town in the morning presented a pitiable sight. The streets were strewn with debris. Many of the houses were unroofed and some were blown down. Gardens were obliterated. A magnificent avenue of trees surrounding the Place Des Coeoticre was completely destroyed. The harbour was covered with wreckage. Hugo concrete blocks of the quay were displaced to a. distance of a hundred yards. The gasworks were severely damaged and the town was gasless for several days. .

The railway at Mont Ravel was torn up, causing a complete block of traffic. The canal which brings water to Noumea burst and the people were depondent_ on private supplies. All the telegraph wires were down.

At Ansovate. a suburb of Noumea, a road skirting the beach was washed a-\yay.. The trees in the rubber plantations were blown down. The sea at places came forty yards inland; leaving behind vast quantities of pumice stone. Noumea was apparently the centre_ of the storm, reports from other districts recording little damage. There was no loss of life.