Disastrous Floods at Tahiti.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4978, 10 April 1889, Page 2

Disastrous Floods at Tahiti.

From Tahiti the s.s. Eichmond brings to Auckland news of an extensiye disaster in the shape of Hoods and gales which have inundated the town, swept away villages, trees, and houses, and caused serious loss of life, the full extent of which was not ascertained at the time of the steamer’s departure. A correspondent at Papeete writes under date of March 19th;

According to the expectations of weatherwise old residents hero the long drought which had prevailed for some seven months presaged an exceedingly heavy downfall of rain when it did break up and these anticipations have been more than realised by the occurrence of the greatest floods that have been known here since the Occupation of the group by Europeans. The rain first began to fall about March 4, and continued with but intermittent stoppages for about ten days, causing the roads to bo rendered almost impassable, and doing great havoc to crops, houses, etc. On the 17th inst the storm attained its height, on that date a fierce gale set in accompanied by a regular deluge of rain, which in a few hours completely “ swamped " the city to the depth of about five feet, and the streets became veritable canals, up and down which numerous canoes might be teen plying, their occupants eh-

deavomlngto save their household goods from being swept to sea. For thiity-six hours the town was under water, tbo official records

giving the depth in the principal business streets, which suffered most —as five feet. P The magnificent avenues of trees which lined the streets, and which have been the boast and pride ■ of the French residents, were uprooted and swept away, though they had crowned the city with beauty for years, defying many severe hurricanes. Though the loss of property in the town was very great, tho combined effects of the gale and floods were even more markedly felt in the country districts, tho damage being described as tremendous. Thirty-nine bridges on the approaches to the town are reported to be carried away. Many roads have been choked up, or swept away, and several heavy landslips in the hilly districts involving considerable loss of life, avo reported, in the neighbouring Island of Morea tho greatest devastation Las occurred. The village of Papetoa, situated in a valley, was completely overborne by the rushing floods which came down from the hills, and the mass of waters swept the frail hamlet bodily into tho ocean. So sudden was the coming of the deluge that the inhabitants had no warning of its approach. Twenty-six natives lost their lives, and every vestige of their property was washed away, so much so that all trace of the site of the village have entirely disappeared. The whole of the native plantations, orange groves, etc., on the island aao also destroyed, and the natives are altogether destitute. With the humanity and kindness which always distinguishes tho French administration here whenever the natives are concerned, tho Government has taken those unfortunate homeless people into its care, and probably they will in the end be better off than before their recent misfortunes. After the hurricane of Saturday, tho 16tb, thb town presented a terribly desolate appearance, mounds of silt and mud lay piled against the doors of houses, i hundreds of trees were scattered across the i streets, many buildings were unroofed, while i the frail tenements of the Chinese quarter were shattered, and in many piled in i ruins. A disaster of such extent is quite un- ( precedonted here, and many hundreds of thousands of francs will require to be ex- I pended before the roads, which have always 1 been kept in magnificent condition, will be 1 again passable.