LEGACY OF RUIN

Evening Star, Issue 22462, 6 October 1936, Page 7

LEGACY OF RUIN

CHINESE TYPHOON VELOCITY OF 131 H.P.H. Pounding seas whipped by a typhoon reaching a velocity of 10l miles an hour battered helpless shipping on to the rocks, and the gale shattered houses, ripped trees bodily from the ground, and flailed the streets with sheets of iron when Hongkpng and the surrounding _ districts crouched under the visitation of August 17. From midnight to dawn was a period of terror. Thousands of pounds’ worth of damage was done to property and _ public services, a dozen or more ships went aground, and about a score of lives were Ipst in the colony’s worst weather disaster since 1923. ' Drowning, electrocution, and collapsing buildings took their toll of life, and the breaking dawn showed streets filled with debris, houses marooned by the floods, and cars ripped by the wind. ' ; Vivid details of the terrible destructive force of the typhoon are given in Eastern exchanges. The major catastrophe was the grounding of the 2,555-ton steamer Sunning, under British oi£cers_ and carrying 150 passengers. The ship began to drag her anchors when the wind rose just before midnight, and when the full gale struck her she was powerless to answer the helm. When the Sunning left 'Hongkong on the Sunday evening the No. 5 typhoon signal had already been up for some hours, and leaving the harbour she met sucli heavy seas that she decided to anchor in Junk Bay for the night rather than face the rising wind and waves in the darkness. Five other coastal vessels entering and leaving harbour also decided to anchor in Junk Bay to ride out the storm. PLUNGE ON TO ROCKS. Pitching and tossing in a mounting gale, the Sunning put her engines full ahead to hold her position, but about 3 a.m. she dragged her anchors and drifted towards the dangerous rockstrewn shore. In spite of all efforts to keep her head to the wind, the vessel continued her drift and plunged sideways on to the rocks. Her back was broken, her how snapped off, and huge seas crashed over her bridge; urgent radio messages brought assistance before the aerial was swept away and the stranded ship Jay at the mercy of the elements. The few sudden bumps as the ship hit the rocks sent the 150 deck passengers into a panic, which was accentuated by the screaming of the hurricane, the driving rain, and the total absence of lights. The two engineers and native crew below received the full force of the impact when the Sunning stranded. It was realised at once that the ship was lost, for the top of the superstructure began to cave in, and then a steam pipe burst with a roar. When the foremast collapsed and carried away the aerial, an emergency aerial was rigged and an SOS sent out. A police launch arrived shortly afterwards, but was powerless to assist because of the heavy Seas. At the height of the storm the forecastle broke off in the pounding of the heavy surf. Enormous breakers lifted the mass of steel and sent it in

a series of somersaults 200yds away, where it was dashed against the rocks,' Passengers and crey were huddled' aft waiting for assistance, but it was not until dawn broke and the seas abated that the passengers could be transferred to the police launch. A fireman and a youth of 16 lost their, lives in the wreck. Many other coastal vessels were caught in the passage of the storm, and in spite of efforts to regain shelter were unable to hold then anchors, and drifted ashoVe. _■ ■ ■ DAMAGE IN CITY, A number of persons were killed and injured in the crowded Chinese quarters of Hongkong during the night. Several houses collapsed and, those unfortunate to be abroad were menaced by falling masonry, broken glass, and branches whipped by the tremendous pace of the gale. All ambulances on the island were summoned urgently at 9 a.m., following a report that more than 100 workmen had been buned alive when one of the biggest structures in Hongkong, a contractor’s mat shed, collapsed. When they arrived it was found that three mat sheas standing close together had collapsed al--most simultaneously about ■ 2.30 a.m., burying all the occupants, who were workmen employed by contractors to the prison. Only three were ■ killed, but 150 were injured. Although the Hongkong area was struck by the centre of the typhoon, the edge of the typhoon did eenpus damage at Canton and Macao. Many houses collapsed, sampans were wrecked, and trees were uprooted. The streets were littered with debris, and 10 persons were reported killed.