A Rarotonga Hurricane. EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. UNPARALLELED DEVASTATION.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 243, 25 February 1888, Page 4

A Rarotonga Hurricane. EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. UNPARALLELED DEVASTATION.

Further advices regarding the recent two days' hurricane at Earotonga show that the storm was in some respects of unprecedented severity. When the Richmond left for Tahiti the storm had just commenced, and for two days the steamer encountered very heavy weather. A gentleman who waa on board states that when the Richmond returned to Rarotonga ho was at once struck by the desolate appearance of the island as they approaobod ;it. , TJbe t beautiful verdure which usually clothes the whole island to Jjie veiy .mountain tops was all etripp^l, and it - eeemed from the blackenea^and blighted look of everything as {-.though the , island had been swept by -fire or devastated by a volcanic eruption. A nearer view showed that the ruin was the work of the •hurricane, as bouses and churches were seen to be unroofed, cocoanut trees stripped of their foliage and fruit, while the plantations of co/Tee, cotton, oranges, etc., had suffered very much. The greatest damage was inflicted at Ngatungihia, the village of Queen Mere Paa, and at another village about a mile past Ngatangihia harbour. , At Avarua, , where the principal business premises , are, the loss is not so severe. Tho mission house, schools and church eecaped uninjured, being pretty well sheltered, but the large meeting-house near tho fhore was completely wrecked. Queen Makea's residence was not damaged, and the house of Mr , Nicholas, the chief planter on tho island, although very much exposed, escaped injury. Messrs Donald and Edenborough's cotton ginning mill and the residence of Mr Nicholas were flooded by the waves being drivon inshore—the water being breast-high at the mill, and putting out the .furnace fire. Amid the crashing of trees and the demolition of houses, it is surprising that no one was killed ; but, so far as could be ascertained, no one h,ad even sustained serious injuries. The total amount of damage, including tho loss of tli&^qhponer Atlantic, cannpt bo short iof £10,CfOO. , Tjie whole cofloe/ crop was completely;, destroyed, 'and this aJone was/, estimated to be worth £3,000.< Tiie cptton ci op also suffered severely, and. thq growing orapges were all blown down and destroyed} but; fortunately, owing to tho trees being well protected, they have nob been permanently .injured. IVIr JjTicholafc, who came tiefo by, the &teamer Richmond fqi^the pnrpobo ,oi his lather ao the, •Thames, has been giving, orders for timber, etc. (1| to make good the damage done by tho -hurricane. , „ ,