NOUMEA CYCLONE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 784, 6 April 1910, Page 7

NOUMEA CYCLONE.

DEVASTATION IN ITS TRAIN.

By Telegraph-Press Association-OopyrlEht. : . (Re?. April 5, 9.25 p.m.) . '■"■.. Sydney, April 5, Details/of .the cyclone on Easter Simday night at Noumea (capital of New Caledonia) .state, that ■ a high wind drove huge waves over the quay, and the. vessels anchored by it, chiefly.consisting of small ketches, fishing boats, and punts, many of which wero sunk at their moorings. ' .' . Tho coasting steamer Cagore was capsized. The ship Guetharg broke away and received considerable damage, colliding with tho steamer Ville .de la Ciotat. Tho cyclone reached its height at! midnight. The' .town, in the morning presented a pitiable sight. The .streets were strewn with debris, many houses were unroofed, gome were blown down, and.gardens were obliterated. \ A magnificent avenue of trees.surrounding the Place des Cobotiers was completely destroyed. The harbour'was covered with wreckage, a'nd-'.tne huge concrete blocks of the quay were displaced for a distance. of one hundred yards. ;'... ■The gasworks were severely damaged, and the town was gasless for several days. . The.'railway : at ■■' Montreal was torn up, causing a comploto block of traffic, and the canal which brings water, to Noumea burst, causing people to be dependent on private supplies. AH tho telegraph' and telephone wires were down at Anseyate, a suburb of Noumea, and the road skirting the beach was washed away. : A rubber plantation was blown down,, and the sea at places came forty yards inland, leaving behind vast quantities of pumice stone. ■. ' : f Noumea was apparently the centre of the storm. Reports from other districts state that littlo damage was done. No loss of life is reported. : ]