THE CYCLONE AT TAHITI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13545, 19 March 1906, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE CYCLONE AT TAHITI.

DETAILS OF THE DISASTER,

AUCKLAND, March 14.

The Tf.viuui. which arrived from the Islands this morning, brings particulars of the hurricano and tidal wave at (ho Society and Faumotu Islands. The first indication* at, Tahiti wore a falling barometer on February 6, followed by increasing steady seas in the evening of the 7th, breaking over the foreshore road. At midnight the "houses on the coral strand had to be evacuated, amid the great conlusion of screaming women. The residents, with the plucky assistance of the natives, made for the higher ground. About 7 o'clock on the morning of the Bth the seas reached their maximum height, and houses that had withstood the earlier assaults were washed over entirely or broken piecemeal. The subsiding sea was followed by a sudden cyclone at 8 o'clock, which levelled trees in tho park like a firing party. The cyclone lasted but a few minutes, with a return 10 minutes' later. By noon the cyclone had passed. The only white casualty reported was the drowning of I.eboloch, caretaker of a small island in the harbour. Papeete itself suffered to tho extent of £120,000, and the wholo island to the extent of £180.000. Three schooners are believed to have been lost, during tho cyclone. Reports brought by tho warship Zeleo from Paumotu, in the Low Archipelago, show that it suffered much more severely. The small islands of Vacro and Hikueru are said to have disappeared. Seas swept right over many of the islands, the natives taking refugo in cocoanut trees and on schooners.

At Taaote. six lives were lost, including Father Paul, a Catholic missionary, who, after holding out for some hours on a tree, fell into the waves and was drowned. Ninety-five persons were drowned at Annat Island, where the once beautiful district of Tuiraire was reduced to a baro coral strand. At. Motiilonga. where six deaths are reported, two native divers are said to havo saved their liv; 3 by swimming for 12 hours in tho lagoon and diving under the big waves.

It will be some time before the full extent o[ this damage at Paumotu is known. ADDITIONAI, PARTICULARS. The following particulars of the Tahiti disaster arc furnished by tho Star correspondent:—From February 6 unusually big waves were noticed. On' the 7th the sea was extremely rough. At 6 o'clock in tho evening the barometer marked 760 millimetres. Tho barometric depression was aheady lower than at tho time of the cyclono of March last. At 8 o'clock the sea began swelling, and at 8.30 the water wont, over the wharf, while the barometer pointed out 733 millimetres. At 9 o'clock the road was invaded. At midnight the sea spread over the gardens on the other side of tho road. The barometer indicated 750. At I o'clock- in the morning those on tho foreshore evacuated their houses. They moved as they could in waves that coTried enormous wreckage from Motouta Inland, already half destroyed, The water ciimo up to the waist, and some people wore obliged to break- fences to run away to the upper part of the town. Women could bn heard screaming everywhere. The natives gave a hand to eve'rvbody. Their help was precious, as they'could walk- barefooted amongst the rubbish, while many white people »oro powerless through having no shoes on. The night was perfectly dark, and it was raining heavilv; but there was no wind. Towards 6 o'clock the day broke—three-quarters of an hour later than usual, and a statement of ihe situation could be had. It was a distressing sight. The waves were getting bigger and Digger overy moment, and there was danger to go in houses which were overflowed, for at every minute one of them was falling down. People half clothed were still carrying furniture in. spile of the danger. During one hour in the early light it was an appalling sight. At. 7.30 the 6ea _ reached tho maximum, carrying over entire houses and smashing into pieces tho few articles left. Fortunately, from that moment tho strength of the waves decreased little by little, and by 9 o'clock tho sea was nearly in its bed. At 8 o'clock the barometer went down so suddenly (738 millimetres) that they foresaw a cyolone for noon. Doctors on horseback rode through tho streets telling people to evacuate stone houses in the up'per part of tho town. At 9 o'clock the wind camo like a thunderclap, blowing down in its first onslaught big trees liko soldiers under jire. Shoots from iron roofs wore flying in all directions. The wind blew against the sea. Fortunately it did not last more than one mioiito or two, and then tho rain took its place. At neon the wind blow again for 10 minutes, but not in the same terrible way. At 1 o'clock all danger was over. The peninsula of laiarapu was devastated and the village of lautira entirely destroyed.

Further particulars of the Tahiti disaster show that in addition to the devastation at Papeete much greater havoc was wrought in Paumotu Island. The disaster was far-reaching on Auaa Island, where 95 persons lost their lives, most of them natives, while 12 were seriously injured. In the whole island there are only three houses left to .shelter about 500 survivors. Six deaths have been recorded from Hikueru and a few were injured. This island was badly ravaged: in fact, as bad as in the cyclone, of Jauuarv. 1902. There is only ouo house left standing in the village. There were six deaths at Motutonpa. Everything on this island was swept away, and nothing was left but stones where, before was a smiling village. A small cutter that was badly damaged was the means of saving the lives of 36 inhabitants. Only one house is left standing at Takarava, and much damage was done by the wind. Six lives were lost at Taaite. The Catholic missionary (Father Paul), a priest, and a young German managed to climb a cocoanut tree, where they held on for many hours, but at last the strength of the priest gave way, and ho fell in the waves. The young man (Mr Selu'eh) was saved.

On the 27th February a cutter belonging to Captain Peters, a Paumotu trader, arrived at Papeete from Tikhau bringing •news that the island had been devastated Mr J. L. Young, of tho firm of Messrs Henderson and M'Farlanc, stated that from information he has received it does not seem probablo tho total loss will exceed £50,000.