Havoc in Two States

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7062, 23 January 1933, Page 7

Havoc in Two States

Bushfires, Hailstones and Floods STOCK KILLED, CROPS AND BUILDINGS DAMAGED United Press Association —By Electric. Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, Jan. 21. Described as the worst in twenty years, a storm lashed the Biveriua district and parts of Victoria. Floodwaters entered shops at Itupauyup. Many fishing boats foundered in a forty-mile-an-liour gale at Queenscliff. Bain and bushfires were experienced in an uncanny jumble. While weary men fought blazing acres around Balranald, Eoehestor lay under a mantle of an inch of hailstones. About four thousand acres of grass and crop and miles of fencing were destroyed in the Elieola district

One of the severest and most devastating hailstorms of recent years swept the Invercll district in northwest New South Wales, killing calves, sheep, rabbits and birds. It caused heavy damage to maize and fruit crops. Jagged hail, the size of golf-balls, left cattlo bruised and bleeding. A violent thunderstorm at Gympic, in Queensland unroofed houses and sheds and overthrew trees. Flocks of shoop were trapped by tho storm-waters and drowned. Seven head of cattlo were killed by lightning. All the low lands aro now under water

Tho Condamino River is running bank-high, and several bridges are submerged. Torrential rain was also experienced at many other centres. At Gatton (Queensland), hotels, business premises and residences were Hooded. A wash-away occurred on the main line near Toowoomba and traffic was field up. It is forty years since flood-waters have reached the level that they did at Laidley, where tho water swirled through shops and homos, while cattle and miles of fencing were swept away. Tho water was five feet deep in the streets.

The town of Roma suffered severely, houses being unroofed. Hundreds of sheep were drowned in the neighbourhood and the railway line was submerged in several places.