240 LIVES LOST

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1931, Page 5

240 LIVES LOST

J J HURRICANE IN FIJI ISLANDS. (Australian Press Association.) SUVA, February 24Tho worst hurricane and iloods ever experienced in Fiji struck the Ba, Lautoka and Si gat ok a districts, during the week-end. The crew of the Government ship arrived here at seven to-night from Lautoka, and reported that SO were killed at Ba. There were sixty killed at Lautoka, and one hundred killed at Sigatoka. The hurricane was within a narrow VV~ radius, and it was not felt outside thcSo /'J districts, although the glass and conV ditions at Suva indicated a cyclone, north-east of Suva. The meteorological conditions have been causing anxiety It is stated that all the Ba-Lautoka train was blown off the rails, with many casualties. A six-hundred-gallon tank was blown a distance of sixty feet. The Government officials state that although little information is available, they are aware that there has been a serious hurricane, and that many lives have been lost. Coming on top of the serious floods in Rewa district near Suva, this means an enormous loss to the colony. —lt is impossible to verify the deaths \ yet. The Nadi lighthouse is. reported to have gone, FURTHER~PARTICULARS, (Received 10,25 a.m.l SYDNEY. February 27. With regard to the severe \hurricane at Lautoka, Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Ltd. advises that in addition to the heavy death roll and great damage to property, they received a report from the Suva Radio Station that all communication between Suva and the western side of tho island is severed since the nineteenth of February and unlikely to he restored for some time. The Radio Station at Suva is sending an operator with wireless installation which will be temporarily installed at Lautoka to maintain communication with Suva.