HURRICANE DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 9

HURRICANE DISASTER

REPORT FROM RAROTONGA

DAMAGE IN THE COOK ISLANDS.

FOOD SHORTAGE THREATENED.

LARGE SHOP WASHED UP VALLEY.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

Details of damage done in the Cook Islands by the recent hurricane arrived by the Maunganui to-day, and were made available by the the Rt. Hon. .G. W. Forbes, Minister of External Affairs. A cable from Judge Ayson says that on his return from New Zealand he found the people cheerful in spite of their hurricane experiences and losses. The whole population of the group was working vigorously to restore the damage.

In Rarotonga all the roads were open and the sanitary system and water supply were restored by February 16. There was now no risk of an ' epidemic. In Avarua Village over 1000 men voluntarily cleared roads and public places of over 1000 tons of coral rock sand, fallen trees and debris, and in the other districts of Rarotonga hundreds of men had similarly cleared storm debris. The general health of the inhabitants was good. Advice from Atiu indicated that Mitlaro received the full force of the hurricane. There was no loss of life, but serious damage was done to all the crops and there was a threatened food shortage, concluded the cable. High winds and seas were experienced at Rarotonga on February 7, 8 and 9, reaching hurricane force on February 10 and 11. On the former date (a- Sunday) the wind and seas swung into the north and the main road at Avarua was continually under water as the seas came straight into the harbour. At noon a huge wave wrecked the fruit inspection office, and half an hour later, while still working, Mr. J. Bouchier, head of the fruit department (w’ho died later) was caught by a wave, his leg being crushed and shattered by a lighter against the wall. The Administration offices were flooded to a depth of 18 inches, and all telephone communication was broken.

SHOP WASHED UP VALLEY.

Early in. the morning a large shop occupied by Mr. S. Hopkins, photographer, was washed six yards up the valley, where it was found later. It was really dangerous to cross from the Cook Islands Trading Company’s main store to Messrs. Jagger and Harvey’s store as huge seas were sweeping across the whole front. A large quantity of coral and debris was piled in front of the Hotel Rarotonga, but material damage -was averted by the sea wall built in 1931. Seas entered the hospital building, in the late afternoon, but the patients were removed. All the people were warned away from the waterfront on the Sunday night owing to the risk created by roofing iron from fhe cargo sheds flying through the air.

The seas crossed the main road from Nikao to the wireless station, a distance of 1| miles, and reached well inland. The road to the wireless station was blocked with trees and covered with coral and sand. A trip to the station took over an hour and a quarter. The main wireless aerial came down, but communication was maintained through subsidiary aerials. . There were no signs of panic among the natives, whose attitude was fatalistic. AH appeared to be busy cleaning up their ground and making repairs. Special mention is made of the leadership and work of Makea Nui Tinirau Ariki -in th‘e)' : 'S^vage : /of . the Union Company’s launches and luggers, which were carried bodily from the wharf into the valley for safety. A message received on February 20 at Rarotonga from the steamer Golden Bear, which called at Palmerston Island, reported damage to several buildings. The roof of the church was blown away and few coconuts were left on the trees. The inhabitants said they required supplies urgently, but apart from one leper there was no sickness.

The report of the fruit inspector states that the loss of fruit may not exceed 75 to 80 per cent.- Should this estimate prove accurate the total export should be about 10,000 cases.

Reports frpni Papeete state that though the islands of Penrhyn, Manihiki and Rakahanga had bad weather it did not amount to a. hurricane.