GALES AND FLOODS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 4, Issue 20, 14 March 1893, Page 3

GALES AND FLOODS.

Vessels Wrecked. TheMighest Floods Known. Houses Washed Away. Sydney, March 9. A most furious southerly gale, with heavy rain, has been raging for the last two days. Railway and telegraphic communication beyond Hawkesbury is infcerrupted. The low-lying country around Newcastle is badly flooded, and the police have had to rescue people in boats. Newcastle, March 9. A fearful sea is running outside. The captain of the brig Nebe from Sydney found bis vessel was unable to live, and drove her ashore in order to save life. She became a total wreck, but the crew were saved. A large portion of West Maitland is tinder water, and many hundreds of people are homeless. News from up the river states the river has risen 49 feet, and is still rising. The greatest flood ever known here is expected. A steamer, believed to be the Federal, from Melbourne, is ashore at Stockton, about a mile from Newcastle on the northern side of the harbour. A lifeboat and tug are standing by her. Later. The water is up to the eaves of the houses near Raymond’s Terrace, and a steamer with boats was despatched to rescue the inhabitants, many of whom were clinging to the roofs. She brought back three hundred. The public buildings are crowded, and provisions are scarce. Nearly all the farmers have lost their live stock. All the collieries have been obliged to stop work, and between three and four thousand miners have been thrown out of employment. All communication with Maitland is cut off. Winter’s large agricultural works there are washed away. March 11. Maitland is in a deplorable condition, and the country rouud about is like an inland sea. Upwards of a thousand families are flooded out. A good deal of damage has been done to the railway lines. Sydney, March 12. There is a great flood in the Macleay. The Northern Company’s wharf and several dredges have been washed away, and a small steamer sunk. There is a terrible state of affairs in Maitland, where the flood is the highest within the memory of man._ A phenomenal phase is the rapidity with which the water rose, taking people almost unawares. During the night the inhabitants were panic stricken, and in seeking refuge left all their valuables behind. Two more lives have been lost. The Government have transmitted £I,OOO to meet immediate needs. The whole place, is inundated to a depth of many feet and there is no sign of abatement. Wellington* March 11. A fearful storm was experienced in Wellington yesterday. The streets were flooded two and three feet deep and the lower parts of many houses were flooded. The harbour was a boiling sheet of water. Several yachts were washed ashore and smashed. The railway lines have been much damaged. The flood in the Hutt Valley is said to be the highest known and great damage has been done. The rainfall was the heaviest on record, being 5-7 inches in twenty-four hours. The captain of the Penguin describes the seas running at the heads as fearful. There were many narrow escapes hut no fatalities are recorded.