CAUGHT IN CYCLONE.

Western Star, 10 April 1934, Page 3

CAUGHT IN CYCLONE.

A TERRIFYING TIME. SYDNEY, March 22. There has never been a more disastrous cyclone in North- Australia than that which hit the shores, of Queensland last week. Scores of small craft were broken up and it is not surprising that the death roll should reach the big total of 87. For the most part the boats that suffered were frail craft which had no chance of living' in the mountainous seas that were beaten up by the terri* tying winds' that sprang up with such suddenness.' Most of thp luggers that were lost were engaged in shell fishing when the storm broke at 3 a.m. The Moats became separated; pud it was -more than a week later before the authorities 'were able even to estimate the number who had lost their lives. The crews comprised Japanese, aboriginals, and a few white inem The survivors tell terrible stories of their adventures. In the case of one lugger the deck gear and the masts went overboard almost immediately. The crew then battened down the hatches and took, to the four dingbieß. One of these, however, was blown completely over as soon, as it was placed in the water and the occupants were lost. Thirteen survivors then headed for the Bloomfield River, and although they sue-, ceeded in weathering the raging seas they had a trying time. For a while they were stranded on a coral reef, and until they reached civilisation they existed on coconuts.

Five settlers oil Almason plantation were ruined by the cyclone. Shortly after the cyclone commenced they saw the Bea rising rapidly, and in fear of a tidal wave they immediately rushed to their homes, which were practically on the beach. They secured all the food and clothing possible and made for the high land. All the time the water continued to rise swiftly before their eyes until it must have reached a- height of 30ft above normal level. The huts of a number of blacks on the beach were quickly engulfed, and the water rose three feet above the floor of the highest dwelling. It was horrible to watch the rising waters, nob knowing when they would stop, and it was with great relief that they saw the sea fall as the wind ceased. Every banana , plant on the plantation was lost, but no one* was ini' ured.

A graphic story of the experiences of a party on Snapper Island during the height of the cyclone was told by Claude le Roy. "With Rex Jones, aged 19, and James Gains, aged 14, he spent nearly eight hours sheltering under an upturned boat while the wind blew all the foliage from the trees on the island and snapped many of the trees, which fell on the boat. Le Roy said tho party was sleeping on the beach three or four feet above high water mark when the waves suddenly swept over them. They rushed to higher grund. A huge log struck their sailing boat and snapped the anchor chain. In the raging sea the that they saw the sea fall as the wind three boys chopped a passage about 200 yards into the heart of the scrub, to the foot of the sandhills. Then they carried a . flat bottomed boat into the scrub, knocked out the thwarts, and lay beneath as .the hurricane howled overhead. All night they clung to " the boat to prevent it from being blown away. In the morning the boys lit huge fires in an endeavour to dry their blankets, but rain squalls quickly 'extinguished them. Living on mandarines' and oranges that were washed up on to the beach,the party remained on the island for three days, and then set out to row to the mainland, which was four miles away. As they ' crossed the bar of the Daintree River the boat was swamped and the crew was thrown into the water. However, they made their way back to the boat, bailed it out, and then rowed to a camping place. Two New Guinea “boys,” and a Murray Islander, when they arrived at Cairns on Saturday last, told the story of a swim of 24 hours, during which they covered 20 miles. The party was at Bat Reef in a lugger when the cyclone struck the boat. A huge wave turned the boat over, and the crew was flung into the boiling sea. Out of 14 on . board only three were saved. The men found that they were at least 20 miles from the nearest shore, but they set out on their long swim full of hope. : That they succeeded is a tribute to their courage, for the waters in this vicinity are shark infested. In fact, it is feared by the police that most of those who lost their lives in the cyclone have been taken by sharks, for no bodies have been found on any of the beaches.