QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16050, 7 February 1918, Page 3

QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

the rivers rising. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. (Received Feb. 7, 9.50 a.m.) BRISBANE, Peh. 7. The Barcoo River is rising rapidly. Longreach, on the Thompson. River, is threatened with a serious flood. RUIN AND DESOLATION. V THE DISASTER AT MACKAY. ■ r STORY OF THE VISITATION. TERRIFIC TORNADO AND DOWNPOUR. fieebnt Australian files'give full details of the appalling disaster which visited Mackay, in Queensland, as the result of a cyclone and downpour of unprecedented intensity and extent. The Mackay Standard of January,, 26, after detailing a previous happening of a like nature, and pointing .out that this transcended all previous experiences, stated that the break in the fine weather on Friday. January 4, was responsible for 20.94 inches of rain up to 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 13 inches being recorded in the first 24 hours of this period. A strong coastal blow was a feature of the weekend weather, it becoming a gale of intensity at times until, at about 10 p.m. on Sundays, the abnormal conditions, presaged by the heavy fall in the barometer and forecasted from the Weather Bureau in Brisbane on Sunday evening, suddenly developed into a blow certainly deserving the name of '‘cyclone.” At 9 p.m. on Sunday the telegraph office barometer recorded 29.371, and at II o’clock the light-keeper at Flat Top reported: “Gale had a velocity of 70 miles per hour.” That was the last report received from Flat Top, communication having apparently been interrupted immediately. The blow continued, and acquired additional force, thick rain squalls adding to the terrors of the disturbance, the general feeling of alarm being testified by the unextinguished light in numerous houses. Hour after hour passed without diminution of the force of the tornado, and there was a general belief that the co-ordiqation of wind and tide would bring the synchronism of the blow and the full tide between 5 and 6 a.m. On Monday at 4 a.m. the post office barometer showed a reading at the lowest possible point on the instrument, and opposite the mark indicating catastrophe. At this time it was seen that some residences had been totally wrecked, and although a couple of fatalities were caused by falling structures it is a wonder that the death-roll from this agency was not larger. Buildings which might have been regarded a® proof against any storm were often the first to succumb. Till shortly after daybreak the direction of the cyclone had been from the south, but now it came direct from the east, and later veered round until its front of attack was due north. To these variations was doubtless due the groat extent of the damage. Discomforts were accentuated when it was found that no gas or Water were available through the mains. No one could venture out of doors. Before the gale sheets el galvanised iron were hurled like scraps of paper across the road, while the terrific force of the wind impeded progress, and the ram cut like a knife. RELIEF PARTIES. Members of the police energetically tackled their emergency duties, and were assisted by the ambulance andfire brigades and numerous volunteers for the dangerous work entailed by the flooding ot the low-lying areas where many persons had to b© rescued. Itwas necessary to provide accommodation for refugees, and many were established in the Town Hall, Red Cross room* Technical College, P.R.F. Society’s rooms, Post Office, School of Arts, Pioneer’ Shire Hall.' and other places. The stocks of the Red' Cross Society were utilised, and the rescued people were provided with socks and pyjamas in place of their saturated clothing. The State schools at the west end of the town were rendered useless for refuge, their roofs ha-ving been so damaged that the interior iper© flooded; and although the drill shed was used for some tim©, it eventually b©** came untenable. The storekeepers displayed much generosity, especially m •ending blankets, and help was forthcoming from all quarters. At 10.30 p.m. the cyclone had eased on; erably, the barometer indicating 29.1-40, and a number of sightseers inspected the damage don© to the main portion of the town. It had been transformed almost beyond recognition, for scarcely a building had escaped, and many were in ruins. All kinds of debris, galvanised iron, building material, telephone wire, branches of trees, and contents of buildings littered the streets, and the fine banyan trees in Victoria and Sydney Streets had suffered greatly many being torn up by the roots, wl’ule those standing were mere skeletons. Surrounding all this litter was water the roads and paths being cov‘erod so that they resembled an unbroken stream. , , ~ Shocking reports were about of disaster and loss of life in the low-lying localities at the eastern and southern ends of the town, contiguous to the river on one side, and the tide-affected, flats on the other, were about. A catastrophe at this place occurred early,-on Monday morning, when the full tide forced the river to break it® banks, inundating places that had been thought perfectly safe. ■ Some families made good their escape, but others were cut off and surrounded before they could retreat, and in rescuing these conspicuously brave work was done by rescue parties. Nevertheless, it is regrettable to record that families were washed away, and there was an authenticated death roll of 19. Disaster was met with by the steamers Tay, Brinawarr, Pelican, and Osprey, and the Government steamer Relief, while a great portion of the Sydney Street Bridge was carried away. The Tay fouled the bridge, and then went ashore on the north side of the river, opposite the convent,_ being apparently in a hopeless position. The Pelican grounded on the down stream side of the bridge, near the site of the Creraorne Hotel, but later improved her position. The Braniwarr sank above the bridge, and the'Osprey below, while the Relief sank at her moorings. Steam launches were also thrown

high and dry, and sent to the bottom. Considerable expenditure will be entailed in rebuilding the Sydney Street Bridge. Between the river and Barnes Creek all the buildings, including the Cremorno Hotel, were completely wrecked. The cyclone, after continuing with unabated force for 14 hours, began to ease off after 1.30 p.m. on Monday, but some fitful gusts occurred, and' the final blow did not take place till 8 o’clock, an electrical disturbance breaking over the town in the evening, with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. On Tuesday rain was still falling heavily, but in the orthodox fashion peculiar to the wet season in the north. THEN THE RAIN. Then came the rain. The Melbourne Age’s special correspondent at Mackay writes: An Idea of the heavy nature of the rainfall accompanying the cyclone may ho formed fr,om the fact tuat from 8 p.m. Sunday, 20th, to 9 a m., Tuesday, 22nd, the gauge at the post office showed the phenomenal fall of 24.06 inches. Nearly four feet of rain fell in 18 days. There was more thunder during Tuesday forenoon, and, it anything, the rain was heavier than, at any previous period of this eventful ! month. Also it Wi continuous, and, as the result, the streets are now feet deep in water’. Standing at any of the intersections' nothing but an unbroken sheet of water meets the eye of the pedestrian. Nothing approaching this volume of surface water has ever before been witnessed in Mackay. The rainfall from' Suaday night, when, the disturbance started, to 9 a.m. on Friday was 50.20 inches, which, added to 21.46 inches from 4th inst. to Sunday evening, gives th% record for the month of 77.66 inches, roughly, to the whole of tbi rainfall da a good year* Some families <sade a speedy and safe escape, while otSere not so fortunate were out off and surrounded by water before they oouls. retreat. It was in the rescue of these people that conspicuously brave work was done by relief parties, but in » few cases families were washed sway, and to material dami-ge inflicted hv the storm was added the loss of many lives. The extravagant reports which gained currency on the first day were; happily, not realised, but the authenticated, death roll of 19 was, nevertheless, shocking to the imagination and one of the most tragio feature® of this terrible catastrophe.