Hurricane at Levuka.

Manawatu Herald, 4 February 1904, Page 3

Hurricane at Levuka.

The Wanaka, from Fiji, brings fuller information of the hurricane at Levuka, which, according to all accounts, is no more a town, but a collection of thatch reeds and rafters. Over two dozen houses fell during the storm, leaving only two or three standing. The morning after the storm vytnessed an awful scene of desolation and confusion. Houses were unroofed, stores flattened, cocoanut trees clipped and general ruin wrought throughout the town. The steamer Adakeva was in the height of the hurricane. At midnight, in pitch darkness, a boat was got out and life-belts served. The crew waited to see if the vessel would hold. At 2.80 the boat was washed away, and the vessel was bumping heavily. At 5.80 the cables were slipped and the steamer was beached on the sand at Naikorokoro She

Was valued at over £4OOO, and was ► Insured in a Sydney office for £2OOO. The Alice, a ketch, belonging to Celia, which was an anchor in the harbour, disappeared during the night, with two of the native crew on board. The ketch may have sunk at anchorage or been blown to sea. Captain Bucknell was ashore at the time.

The schooner Minnie Hare dragged her anchors and sank, A Norwegian barque, the Morelands, £65 ions, was caught at anchor. The vessel was grinding on the rocks when the captain cut away the fore and main masts, which took with them the mizzen-topmast. This eased the ship, and she seemed to come off the rocks, but was soon on the reel again and capsized to starboard. The after part of the vessel disappeared under the waves, only the forecastle head remaining above water. The crew took refuge in the forepart of the vessel. From about 4 a.m. until 4 o’clock in the afternoon eleven men hung on to the wire round the bows and to the rigging in a raging storm, every sea going right over them, with absolutely no shelter. They got ashore in a lifeboat. The barque, which was a total wreck, was sold for £l7.