VIOLENT STORMS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9574, 21 August 1909, Page 5

VIOLENT STORMS.

FLOODS IN VICTORIA.

• TOWNS INUNDATED,

NUMEROUS HOUSES WRECKED.

A WOMAN CRUSHED TO DEATH

United Tress »ssociation-By Electric Telegraph

Cepyright, Received August 20, 10 a.m. MELBOURNE, August 20,

Floods in Victoria have caused numerous railway washa.ways, dislocating traffic.

An unprecedented rain and wind storm has been experienced at Ballarat. The lowlying parts of the town are submerged, and numerous buildings have collapsed or are da maged.

The Doveton Woollen Mills were unroofed, damage being done to the amount of several hundred pounds. A houae occupied by a family named Odgers was wrecked. Mrs Odgers was crushed to death, and her husband and daughter injured. Another house, belonging to a man named Wormaid, collapsed, Mrs Wormaid being injured. Numerous narrow escapes from flying debris are reported. Late last night a Midge between Glunes and Talbot was washed away., and an engjne arid several trucks toppled over into the creek. Nobody was killed. An ambulance has been despatched to the scene. Heavy floods are reported in the Bendigo district. A Barwon Park Mrs Ferry, wifu of the manager of the estate, and a girl named Gurrie, were drowned while trying to escape in a boat. The man in charge of the boat had a narrow ecsape. A terrific thunderstorm broke over Inglewood, where the river is flowing in the main street, and many residences Sre inundated.

The biggest flood known for forty years, has occurred in the Avoca River. Hoorong Vale is under water, and many people have left their houses.

Maryborough, Wichelsea, Wedderburn, Yarrawonga, and Castlemaine all report high floods. Portions of the townships are under water.

Great losses of poultry and stock are feared, and there has also been much damage to crops. A violent thunderstorm visited Melbournne. The streets were deluged, and several of the lowlying suburbs were flooded.

The express from Adelaide was detained at Ballarat overnight, the journey being unsafe owing to the washaways. The telegraphic service is disorganised. Received Augtiai 20, 5.5 p.m. MELBOURNE, August 20.

The engine 6f the Clunes train toppled into a creek, the driver and firemen being injured. There were two passenger cars attached to the train, containing about thirty people, but the piling up of trucks preceding them prevented the Carriages falling into the creek. The passen* gers suffered from shock. It is reported that a dredge at Castlemame containing four men has been washed away.

Reports are coming to hand from all parts showing that immense damage has been done by the floods. Many buildings were wrecked.

BIG HAILSTONES,

Received August 21, 12.35 a.m. SYDNEY', August 20. There was a violent hailstorm at Broken Hill to-day, the hail being three inches in circumference, some of the pieces weighing half a pound.

A TOWNSHIP FLOODED.

HOTEL WASHED INTO MIDDLE OF STREET. Received August 21, 12.35 a.m. MELBOURNE, August 20. All the rivers are in a critical condition and great losses are feared. The Flemington Racecourse is three feet under water. The floods at Geelong are the heaviest for years. Railway traffic is diuorganised. The "Englishman's Home" Company, who were journeying to Sydney to catch the Moana, were held up by the floods, and the New Zealand tcur has been postponed for the present. The township of Newstead is flooded. The Lodden river rose with great rapidity, and the Newstead Hotel was washed into the middle of the street and wrecked. Many houses have seven feet of water in them. '