CYCLONES IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18950, 23 February 1925, Page 9

CYCLONES IN AUSTRALIA.

THBEE STATES SWEPT. DEVASTATION OF TOWNS. extensive damage done. COMMUNICATIONS BLOCKED. tntens-e heat in tarts. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 5.5 p.m.) a; and N.Z. SYDNEY. Feb. 22. Violent cyclonic storms, accompanied bv tomachc winds, devastated towns in three States of the Commonwealth. Near Wellington, New South Wales, three cyclones followed one another in quick succession. The township of Mumbil was sweltering under a temperature of 100 degrees when a tornado descended upon it. Trees were uprooted and houses were unroofed. The Anglican Church was demolished. Immediately afterwards there was adeluge of rain. This was followed by two other wind-storms with heavy rain. Damage to the extent of thousands of pounds was done. All the creeks and rivers in the district, arc running bank-high. No loss of life is reported. In Melbourne a storm swept the city along a narrow track. It lifted roofs and felled chimneys. There were many narrow escapes. Telephonic and telegraphic communication is badly interrupted. In Tasmania., storms swept, the fruit centres, causing damage to the extent of many thousands of pounds. Queensland has experienced intense heat in the south-west during the last few days. At Jundah, 120 degrees were registered. The residents of the town have commenced to move into Longreach, the nearest town, in order to secure a measure of relief ■

from the unbearable conditions. Intense heat has caused shearing operations to be suspended at several stations. The vegetation is burning up in many parts of the State, and great mortality among stock is reported. There has been one fatality. A labourer on a Queensland station collapsed and died from heat apoplo-xy.