HURRICANE AND FLOODS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19215, 2 January 1926, Page 9

HURRICANE AND FLOODS.

WORST GAIE OF YEAR. MANY DEATHS REPORTED. TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORMS EXTENSIVE INUNDATIONS. WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. By Telegraph—Preaa Association—Copyright. (Received 8.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Renter.- LONDON, Jan. 1. Tho disastrous floods, which have occurred throughout England and many parts of Europe, have not vet subsided. Large areas aro inundated. Many people have be<3n drowned on the Continent, and widespread damage is being caused. The year 1925 was literally blown out in the year's worst gale. Vast areas of Britain and the Continent are flooded. The position is so serious that tho Governments of Belgium, Germany and Holland havo beer, obliged to undertake rescue and relief measures. Meadows, fields and valleys in England during the past few days have vbeen transformed into sheets of water. It is estimated that 10,000,000 tons of rain fell in London during an hour. This tremendous down-pour was accompanied by a hurricane. This has loosened chimneys and caused havoc to wireless aerials London and elsewhere. Poor House Chimney Collapses. Tho hurricane had a wind velocity of 85 miles an hour and was accompanied by terrific thunderstorms. Much minor damage has been done. The telegraphs and telephones have been interrupted. At an East End poor law institution one man was killed and seven others injured by tho fall of a chimney upon a ■ward occupied b 40 inmates, sorno of whom were partly buried by the debris. Tho Thames and Seine Rivers continue* to rise. Parts of tho quays in Paris are submerged and cellars in tho suburbs are fioided.

The smaller wireless aerial at tho Eiffel Tower has been carried away. In Zeelantl, Holland, the gale blew a crowded motor-bus off a ferry and six people were drowned. Floods on the Continent. The floods in Germany were reported last night to be extending. The Rhine is 26ft. above its normal height. Large areas o.' land in tho Mulheim district are submerged. Tho British troops in tho Cologne area have been compelled to use rafts to reach tho canteens. A motor-car at Heidelberg suddenly entered a flooded street. The occupants, a doctor and his wife, ware drowned. There are hundreds of homeless people in Eastern Hungary. The river Meiss is swollen. Soldiers have been using »,ald guns with success in an attempt to break up the masses of ice that the floods have brought from the mountains. The troops have diminished tho loss of life by bursting a dam. Over 25,000 Houses Submerged. Dano.be, Rhine and Elbe valleys are inundated, and towns and -villages are isolated by floods. Only tho hill cn which the cathedral stands is not submerged. Thousands aro homeless. The bursting of the Meuse dykes owing to floods swamped tho Belgian coalfields and inundated 25,000 houses. Hundreds of cattle were drowned. The weather forecasts predict a continuance of blizzards. The gales are producing mountainous seas in the Atlantic, numerous S.O.S. calls from vessels, and thrilling tales of plucky lifeboat and coastguard rescues.

FLOODS IN HUNGARY. OVER FORTY DEATHS. MINERS TRAPPED IN MINE. (Received 12.5 a.m.) Sun. BUDAPEST. Dec. 31. Throughout the day aeroplanes fruitlessly bombed an ice pack, 150 ft high, which is blocking the Meiss. Five army engineers were drowned when endeavouring to rescue families who had taken refuge on roofs of houses. In rtia past four days there have been many deaths and great damage from floods throughout Hungary. Thirty-six mines were entrapped in the Marsnjvor mine and were drowned. There are hundreds of homeless people in Eastern Hungary. The troops have diminished the loss of life by burstiag a dam.