HURRICANE TOLL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 10

HURRICANE TOLL

HEAVY DESTRUCTION VILLAGES AND CHURCHES LOSSES IN NEW HEBRIDES f News of a severe hurricane, said to be the worst from the point of view of duration and damage experienced in those parts within living memory, has been received from Ngunainthe New Hebrides by the Presbyterian Missions Office. No fewer than seven mission churches have been destroyed on Nguna, two 011 Pele, and one each on Maso and Lelefa. The hurricane, of

which there was scarcely any warning, came on February 8. but was fortunately not attended by any loss of life. Describing the disaster, the Rev. C. K Crump, of the New Zealand mission. says that the natives have suffered terribly. Many native houses and some whole villages have been destroyed. All orange, lemon, lime and breadfruit trees, and a large percentage of coconuts have boeri uprooted, broken or stripped of fruit. "There will be poor copra crops for two years," Mr. Crump states, "but the position of the yams is not yet definitely known." The mission launch adjoining shed were wrecked, but the launch itself did not seem to have suffered. The gain hold at full strength for two and a-half hours. .V later letter reports a second visitation on February 18. which lasted for 26 hours. This hurricane was not as bad as the first, but seemed to have been more general, anrl great havoc was wrought by tremendous seas. The first estimate of damage by the February R storm was found not to have been exaggerated.