HURRICANE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 5 March 1935, Page 3

HURRICANE

COOK ISLAND VISITATION

HUGE WAVES IN STREETS

BUILDINGS SHIFTED BDDILY

NO LOSS OF LIFE BUT SERIOUS

DAMAGE

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

WELLINGTON, 4th March. Details of hurricane damage in the Cook Islands arrived by the Maunganui to-day and have been made available bv the Minister of External Affairs. A cable from Judge Ayson says:— “On my return I found the people cheerful, in spite of hurricane experiences and losses, and the whole population is working vigorously here and in the Group islands to restore the age“ln Rarotonga, all roads are open and the sanitation and water supply was restored by 16(h February and there is now no risk of an epidemic. “In Avarua village over 1,000 men voluntarily cleared the roads and public places of over a thousand tons of coral rock, sand, fallen trees and debris and in other districts of Rarotonga hundreds of men similarly cleared the storm debris

“The general health is good. “1 have been advised from Atiu that Mitiaro received the full force of the hurricane. There was no loss of life but serious damage to all crops and there is a threatened food shortage.” High winds and seas were experienced at Rarotonga oh 7th; Bth and 9th February, and reached hurricane force on 10th and 11th February. On Sunday (10th February) the wind and seas swung into the north and main road at Avarua and it was c6ntinuallv tinder water as the seas eahie straight into the harbour. At noon a huge wave wrecked the fruit inspection office and lialf an hour later, while still working Mr J. Bouchier, head of the fruit department, was caught by a wave and his leg was crushed and shattered by a lighter against the wall of the administration office which was flooded to a depth of eighteen inches. All telephone communication was broken early in the morning. A large shop occupied by Mr S. Hopkins, photographer, was washed six yards up the valley and people found it really dangerous to cross from the Cook Islands Trading Companies main store to Jagger and Harvey’s store, as huge seas were sweeping across the whole front. A large quantity of coral and debris was piled in front of the Hotel Rarotonga, but material damage was averted by the sea wall built in 1931. The seas entered the hospital building late in the afternoon, but the patients had been removed.

All people were warned away from the waterfront on Sunday night as roofing iron was flying through the air from the cargo sheds. Seas crossed the main road from Nikao to the wireless station, a distance of one and a-half miles and were "chiving well inland. The road to the wireless station was blocked with trees and covered in coral and sand. A trip to the station look over hours. The main wireless aerial, is down, but communication lias been maintained through subsidiary aerials. There were no signs of panic among the natives, whose attitude was fatalistic. All appeared to be, busy cleaning up their ground and making'fepaiFsi Special mention is made of the leadership and work of Makea, Nui, Timirau and Ariki in the salvage of the Union Company’s launches and luggers which were carried bodily from the wharf into the valley for safety. A message received on 20th February at Rarotonga from the steamer Golden Rear, which called at Palmerston Island, reported damage to several buildings and the church, the roof of which was blown away. Few coconuts were left on the trees, and the inhabitants said they required supplies urgently, but apart from one leper, there is no sickness.

The report of the fruit inspector states that fruit losses may not, exceed 75 to 80 per cent. Should this prove accurate, the total export should lie about 10,000 eases.

Reports from Papeete state that while the islands of Penrhyn, Manihiki and Rakahanga received had weather it, did not amount to a hurricane.