BAD WEATHER IN AUSTRALIA.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 15 November 1901, Page 3

BAD WEATHER IN AUSTRALIA.

Cyclone in Melbourne

Windows Smashed and Houses Unroofed.

Much Damage in the Country.

The Crops mostly Destroyed

[per press association —COPYRIGHT.] Received this day, at 9 32 a.m. Melbourne, Nov. 15.

A destructive cyclone swept the city and a portion of the suburbs last night, doing an immense amount of damage.

Duriqg less than half an hour which it lasted, the wind reached a velocity o£ 70 miles per hour. As soon as it calmed a terriffic fall of hailstones occurred, some measuring an inch and a half in diameter, some were much larger. Thousands of windows in all exposed positions were smashed, telephone wires broken, trees were stripped of their leaves, gutters blocked, and water flooded many premises.

At Maple Coy’s furniture factory the wind unroofed one of the new buildings and the water caused damage to the extent of £2,000.

The Eoyal Arcade was the scene of desolation. Skylights were riddled. The rain ruined many shops, photographic studios being heavy sufferers.

At Talma’s studio the damage was £SOO,

Cole’s Book Arcade estimate the ruin io books at £I,OOO

Much damage was also done at Melville and Mullen’s booksellers and the public library. The total losses in the city are estimated at £20,000. Received this day at 10 a m. Melbourne, Nov 15. At Bacchus Marsh, during the heavy thunderstorm, hailstones fell as large as hens eggs, 86 points of rain fell in fifteen minutes. Windows and skylights were broken. The wind was at a terrific force. A man named Anderson was blown from a shed over a fence and killed. Anderson’s house was wrecked and his wife severely injured. The windows and doors of other houses were forced in. Machinery, drays, and stacks were blown a considerable distance. There were similar storms at various parts of the country, At Ballarat besides devastating the windows and skylights a number of houses were wrecked. Crops were destroyed and stock killed. Houses were flooded at Sulky Gully. Two hotels and several houses were destroyed. At Castlemain the hailstones weighed up to seven ounces and smashed most windows in the town, riddled and unroofed many houses. The streets were strewn with debris, and several persons seriously injured. At Forest Creek a dredge and office were blown down, and the barge destroyed. Four employees were injured. At Chewton, the house of Lamb an exmayor, collapsed. Lamb’s body was afterwards found in the debris. Great damage was done to mining plants. For miles around the country was devastated. Many families have come from Castlcmaine for shelter. Cattle and sheep have been killed. At Wesley Hill nearly every house was destroyed or unroofed including churches. At Auburn, a suburb of Melbourne, a man named Morgan went on to the roof to clean away the hail where he was subsequently found dead. Sydney, Nov 15. Reports from Riverina show that the storm which swept Victoria was widely experienced there. At Borrigan the School of Arts and immense railway grain seds were wrecked. Two hotels and a number of houses were wrecked or severely damaged. Roofs were carried bodily for a long distance. From Demalquin and many other places there are similar reports of devastation, heavy rains accompanying resulted. Great losses in crops and property are reported.