DAMAGE BY STORM

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 115, 13 February 1928, Page 9

DAMAGE BY STORM

CYCLONE IN WEST AUSTRALIA MANY BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED TELEGRAPH LINES BLOWN DOWN BY Telegraph.—press Association. Copyright. (Rec. February 12, 5.5 p.m.) Perth, February 12. A cyclone, by far the most severe ever experienced in the district, struck Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, and Boulder and caused damage estimated at thousands sterling. An unconfirmed report states that a girl was killed at Boulder. Everything in the course of the cyclone was shaken, and in many cases buildings were either entirely demolished or badly damaged. The cyclone maintained its full force only a couple of minutes, but tore roofs from buildings and crumpled walls like so much paper. Telegraph and telephone lines were blown down, isolating the district. Shortly afterwards there was a heavy downpour of rain, which made things more uncomfortable, particularly for those whose homes were unroofed. ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE. Later. A rough estimate of the damage by the cyclone is £150,000. As far as is known, no lives were lost. The rain fell in red torrents, the result of masses of dust in the atmosphere. A large portion of the roof of the Kalgoorlie railway station fell over a continental express, which was readv to start. The windows on the platform sii'e blew in, causing pandemonium amongst the passengers seated in the train. A number of persons at various .places are reported to have been injured by falling debris, which was carried long distances. The main business portion of Kalgoorlie escaped lightly, but the residential quarter suffered severely.

GALES IN ENGLAND ELEVEN PEOPLE KILLED (Rec. February 12, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 11. Gales throughout England lasted all night. Wind of a velocity of 104 miles an hour was recorded at Liverpool, the highest ever registered in England, though, it has previously been exceeded in Ireland and Scotland. A house in Birmingham was blown down and a man killed in bed and his wife seriously injured. The damage to property ise substantial.—A.P.A. and “Sun.” ■ (Rec. February 12, 11.5 p.m.) London, February 12. Eleven' were killed and many injured b.v the gale in Britain. Typical incidents are: In Manchester three houses were unroofed; in Lincoln a massive gargoyle fell 250 feet trom the centre tower of the Cathedral; in Gloucester a chimneystack crashed on to the roof of a house and killed a sleeping boy; in Birmingham the roof of a publichouse collapsed on a bed in which Frank Garraty and his wife were sleeping, the floor giving way and the couple falling into the kitchen. The man died on the way to hospital and his wife was seriously injured. BITTER WEATHER IN SPAIN (Rec. February 12, 5.5 p.m.) Madrid, February 11. Heavy snowfalls and bitter cold in the province of Zamora forced the inhabitants to shut themselves indoors and stoke up fires in order to avoid freezing to death, also to escape packs of wolves and wild boars, which emboldened by hunger entered the villages in search of food. The authorities are organising drives to stave off the invasion.—A.P.A. and “Sun.” HURRICANE IN RHINELAND (Rec. February 12, 11.5 p.m.) Berlin, February 11. A hurricane raged in the Rhineland, causing many casualties. People were blown in some instances under passing vehicles. 22 KILLED BY AVALANCHES (Rec. February 12, 11.5 p.m.) Oslo, February 11. Twenty-two peisons were killed by avalanches, caused by rain following on heavy snowstorms.