SWEPT BY HURRICANE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 153, 24 March 1919, Page 4

SWEPT BY HURRICANE

DAMAGE IN THE FIJI GROUP.

The full force of tho hurricane which swept over the group during the earlv morning of February !) was experienced along the northern islands from east to west (says tho Suva correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald"). Particulars have now been received of the damago in these outlying islands. In the Yasawa group, lying north-west of laulaka, the effects of the hurricane were disastrous. These islands, have recently suffered severely by drought; then the influenza epidemic carried off 250 or the inhabitants, and now the hurricane. At Tamassan, the chief town of Yasawa, nil the native houses but one, and also the European store were wreckt« 4.11 the village of Xalukero only four houses were loft. At Bnkaura and ten all tho houses went down but one. On Yaeawarara only four houses were left. On Nacula only four houses remained standing. Waya and Viwa suffered sirniaAs'a result of the damage, it is feared that the group of islands will not. l>B able to produce any copra.for three years. There is at present a scarcity ot food. , „ ~ . On Vamia Levn, further east, the chiefdama°e was done at Labasa, where half lite roof of H. Marks and Co.'s large store was blown off, some of the iron lemg enrried over the river, and irnieli damsire was tfone by the heavy ram. A large section of the roof of the Colonial Sugar Company's mill was also blown away. The other islands suffered lew, Suva and Leviika escaping with a Rale, although some of the Eewa banana growers lost many tree*..