VIOLENT HURRICANE

Otago Witness, Issue 3382, 8 January 1919, Page 6

VIOLENT HURRICANE

DAMAGE IN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. - AUCKLAND, December 30. Passengers by the Niagara bring newß of the hurricane which swept over the Hawaiian Group some days before the vessel called at Honolulu. The town of Honolulu itself was not damaged to any great extent, as far as can be gathered, but other portions of the island of Oahu, on which the capital is situated, suffered severely. Apparently the hurricane swept with, its full force up the Manoa Valley, at the back of the town, uprooting trees in its path, and carrying off the roofs of many houses. In some instances the houses themselves were blown down with the force .of the atmospherio disturbances, and extensive damage was done. When the Niagara called there about six days later the people were still engaged in clearing away trees that had been torn up by the roots and thrown across the roads. The vessel itself encountered what was apparently the tailend of the hurricane between Victoria and Honolulu, and was considerably tossed about.

WELLINGTON, December 30. Early this month it was briefly reported by cable that a terrific hurricane had caused considerable havoo at Honolulu. Some details of the occurrence -were given to a reporter by Captain Campbell, master of the steamer Opihi, which arrived at Wellington on Saturday afternoon from Vancouver, via ports. When the Opihi arrived a$ Honolulu on December 4 a large part of the town was In ruins, and the damage haq been estimated at 1,000,000 dollars. Au» work had ceased, and soldiers had started to clean up the streets. The wind blew at the rate of 80 males per hour, and homes were unroofed and trees torn up. Thd Opihi ran before the gale and reached Honolulu when the worst was over. The Australian steamer Cbokjardie, however, received a severe buffeting, and the captain declared that during all his years in tb» Pacific he had never before weathered suob a storm.