STORM DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1930, Page 5

STORM DAMAGE

IN MANY COUNTRIES. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, November 23. The anniversity of the great storm of the year 1703, when hundreds were killed on land and sea, which anniversary is marked by a “toterm Sbrm(*R” preached annually at Saint Giles,’ Kingsway, in accordance with a bookseller’s thanksofiering for the safety of his family, has this year been the occasion of great gales and torrential rain raging over the whole 'of Western Europe, involving Hoods, and destruction to property.

There were high winds along the British coasts, accompanied by rough seas. Many ships have been in distress, and lifeboats have frequently been called out.

A schooner yacht was dr.veil ashore on Shipwash Shoal, Essex. The occupants, seven men and two women, were rescued by a lifeboat. The captain was severely burnt by an explosion of petroleum while lighting flares. A seventy-eight miles an hour wind blew nt Birmingham. Many trees were blown down.

There is much anxiety, and fears of flooding owing to high tides in the Thames,

There are extensive floods an France, Belgium and Germany. Many rivers are. overflowing, and notably the Scheldt, and the Meuse and their tributaries,, inundating hundreds of houses, The inmates have been rescued on improvised rafts. The Rhine and its tributaries, flooding up, caused a stoppage of navigation and the closing down of three power plants. The wind reached a speed of one hundred miles an hour at Munich, blowing down the 260 ft masts of the broadcasting station into a neighbouring prison yard. There were no casualties.

A violent tempest damaged French towns and ports on the Atlantic and Channel coasts.

Thousands of chimney and roofs in Vienna were damaged. The streets were littered to a depth of inches with glass, brick-ends and slates.

BELGIAN HAVOC.

SCENES OF DESOLATION,

LONDON, November 23

xi very severe storm has been experienced throughout Belgium, and especially about Termonde, where an 80 yards breach has occurred in the Scheldt River dyes, which have collapsed, owing to the height of the tide.

This (Sunday) afternoon the vicinity presented a scene of desolation recalling the war time sufferings of the refugees, The roads were crowded at dusk with struggling processions of peasants from the submerged villages, There were men trudging bare foot on roads that were flooded knee deep. They were pushing trucks loaded with their belongings. The women were holding up their shifts and driving livestock. The small children were in a pitiful plight, owing to their hunger and to pitiless rain. Their parents were carrying some, and gendarmes were carrying others.

Many df the dykes are broken down at Antwerp nnd elsewhere, The whole country near Crnmmonto is submerged. Authorities are sending troops to assist with relief. FRENCH FLOODS, SOMME FORMS A LAKE. LONDON, November 23. Many of the low-lying parts of France are flooded. The River Somme has overflowed, forming a great lake over which boats are carrying provisions to stranded people. Their barges sank at the weir at Ivry, drowning a nineteen-years-old girl and a man who dived to her rescue. A crane, at Rouen crashed down, killing a man. Several were injured by Tailing masonry at Rheims. There is great damage at Paris, due to falling chimney pots. The fire brigade was called out 150 times to clear the wreckage. A falling door killed a man in Vienna, and many suffered minor injuries. STEAMER LOST. (Received this dav at 8 n.m.) LONDON, Nov. 24.

The Cuxhaven steamer Louise Loguhardt was driven ashore in Elbe estuary during a heavy gale. -A .salvage .steamer was rushed from Cuxbut was unable to find the wreck, which it is feared is lest with the crew of thirty. A DYKE BREACHED. LONDON, Nov. 24. A gale caused a breach in a dyke near Hamburg and a wide stretch of country was flooded, including a vilr lage built by war cripples. ( river. SEINE FLOODS. ' (Received this dav at 8 ».m.) PARIS, Nov. 24. Sailors and soldiers were ordered to outlying regions of Paris to assist farmers owing to the river Seine reaching a danger mark. A thousand homes were flooded at Lemans.

A TIDAL WAVE. (Received this dav at 8 am.) - PARIS, Nov. 24. A tidal wave at Etretat swept fishing boats into the streets crashing, against ’houses, which wore wrecked the occupants flying in terror. The wreckage of boat/s and buildings was strewn in the streets.