CYCLONIC STORM.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11449, 31 January 1918, Page 7

CYCLONIC STORM.

aUEENSLAND FLOODS.

RECORD RAINFALL AT SEVERAL TOWMS. FATE OF MACKAY UNKNOWN.

j Very meagre details of the groi't cyclone and floods in North Queouslaud last week have been cabled to Now Zealand by the Press Association, and it is necessary to have recourse to the Sydney tiles to obtain a reasonably clear idea of the extent of the disaster. The latest available Sydney Morning Herald contained tbe following report from Brisbane, dated January 33rd:— Definite news concerning the fate of Mackay is anxiously awaited. It is now certain the town received the full force of the cyclone which struck the Queensland co'ist. Practically all trains have ceased running owing to the flood waters being over the lines or owing to washaways. The southern mail train was cancelled, and the mail train from Brisbane turned back at Mount Larcom. Advices from Mount Morgan state there has been a good deal of damage there. The Dee river is in high flood, and the suburbs are isolated. Owing to the state of the weather hundreds of men are out of work, and more will have to knock off,a s under present weather conditions it is impossible to carry on. Advices received from Wowan state there is a great expanse of water notween there and Deeford, and fears are entertained for settlers. SEAS MOUNTAINS HIGH.

Tho full fnry of the gale w:s felt at Yeppoon, where the wind blew with cyclouio force, and the sea ran mountains high. liA good deal of damage was clone, one hotel being unroofed in the early hours of yesterday morning, and tho roof piled up in the station yards. At Emu Park conditions are also very bad. 'ilie Wyreoma arrived in Koppel Bay on Sunday, but was unable to reach Port .dma. She is sheltering under Sea Hill. Tho Moira left here on Saturday, but put back under Sea Hill. Other vessels are sheltering under Sea Hill. Owing to the rise of the Hood waters residents at Port Curtis Junction were endangered. A tniu was sent there and brdnght in 100 persons, who have been accommodated in different buildings, tr-in was now and again sent to bring in more residents. The Fitzroy during Monday night and early yesterday morning rose w ith rgeat* rapidity, and at 3 p.m. it was 37 foot on the gauge, or only 14 inches below the 1890 record. At 8 o’clock it was 27 ft Jin on the gauge. The river at Vaamba yesterday afternoon had risen to 4Sft lOiu. Concurrent with this rise there has been a very large area of country submerged, and viewed from the highest buildings in the city the scene is impressive, though melancholy. It seems inevitable there will be a most disastrous flood. DAMAGE AT ROCKHAMPTON. That Rockhampton was in the pathof tho disturbance is abundantly demonstrated. TreCs were uprooted in all directions, and buildings began to suffer on Monday morning. Tho principal damage was in the outskirts of the town. In North Rockhampton many bouses" had their verandahs Mown away or portions of tho roofing detached, with the result that the deluge of rain, which poured in, caused consider »bio damage. There were many narrow escapes. In Denison lane a brick chimney crashed through a lionse, and Mrs King was struck by the debris, suffering bruises and shock, while her son Charlie, aged about -eight years, was struck on tho head by a beam, Miss Scully, who was standing linear Mrs King bad her blouse torn to shreds but did not receive a scratch. A house on high blocks, near the north coast Hue crossing, occupied by Mrs W. J. Bryan, collapsed, and Mrs Bryan and her two children just mamged to get out in time. A number of awnings on shops in different parts of the city were blown away, and No. 1 grandstand at the show grounds was unroofed. At North Rockhampton, business jffacos in the Yaamba road suffered greatly, aud a number of private houses were unroofed and otherwise damaged. Similarjconclitions prevailed from North Rockhampton to Lakes Creek,

and it is certain the damage will ! run into a big sum. The Eoekhuiupton Jockey Club’s course is completely submerged. People wore shifting all day, and slso last night a t Rockhampton. W,omen and children, in pouring rain, were seen staggering under loads of household belongings. RESCUE WORK. Inspector Hulme left yesterday to rescue people at Warren, and is now endeavouring to got to Gogan’s, where the settlers are said to be in serious danger. The settlers in the Dawson Valley are also being moved.

The Dawson River at Boolburra is very high, and families will have to be removed from there if possible. The Home Secretary’s Department hasi nstructed the police at Rockhampton and Longreech to give every possible assistance and relief where necessary to the sufferers from the hoods and cyclone. A Rockhampton message to the Commissioner of Police to-day stated tiiat the gasworks would be closed, and all lights would bo out at night. A special weather report this morning stated the centre of the tropical disturbance continued on a westerly course during the last 24 hours, and, as far asc an be judged, the centre at S) o’clock to-day was about midway between Boulia and Longreech. It lias decreased still further in intensity. Among the more important rainfalls for the 24 hours ended at 1 .) a. m. to-day were;—

Mount Morgan S3U points, Rockhampton 753 , Bajool 15(51, and Bpringsure 588. ‘ Several iuter-State vessels have been delayed by the storm, and one or two are still reported to bo sheltering from the gale. Telegraphic communication with the northern parts of the State shows very little improvement. Mackay and St.L awreuce are still isolated, and it is feared Bowen will become isolated during the evening. ■At Clermont very heavy wind blew on Monday, • and uprooted

thousands ut trees ou all the country roads. It shook up the buildings in town somewhat, but very slight damage .was done. A balcony roof was blown off the Terminus Hotel, and a few sheets of iron off a private house. The total rainfall till 0 o’clock this morning was 570 points. Sandy Creek lias been running almost level with the bank since yesterday afternoon, and flowed over below the town, but the old town is not yet flooded. It was reported this morning that the railway bridge between Clermont and Bbtir tiiol was bent out; of position,

No rain lias fallen at Bundaberg to-day but the weather is threatening, and wharfs have been cleared in caSfl Of emergency, reports having been I'OCt'ired from Eidswald that the Burnett lilvor there was at the highest level known for ten years. At GCyudah the river was 25ft above normal, and rising at the rate of Gin per hoar, and at. Gin Gin the river was 3lift above normal. The Kolau hirer is 20ft above normal.