FLOODS AT TAHITI. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. PAPEETE UNDER WATER.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 357, 6 April 1889, Page 5

FLOODS AT TAHITI. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. PAPEETE UNDER WATER.

Tahiti, as well as Samoa, suffeied severely by the advent of the hurricane season, bub while Samoa sustained most damage in the pore of Apia, Tahiti appeals to have been visited by a series of gales and floods, which extended throughout the island, and caused terrible destruction to life and property. The gales and floods were preceded by a prolonged drought extending over about seven months, and in the usual course of events in those beautiful isles of the sea, the inhabitants fully expected that the stormy sea&on would be equally severe. On Mai-eh 4th rain began to fall, and continued with little intermission for the following ten days, making the roads almost impassable, putting a complete stop to business, and setiously damaging the crops. About 1 o'clock on the 9fch March Papeete ua* subjected to an inundation, the severity of which was beyond any similar flood experienced by the oldest inhabitants. Rain fell incessantly for thirty-six hours, and then the whole place was completely under water. The Mission Kiver rose to a fearful height, and its turbulent waters, aided by the prevalence of a strong gale, carried everything before them in the direction of the eastern portion of the town. Here the water rose to an extraordinary height, until the streets were converted into rivers, and the only means of communication between the houses was by means of canoes, which were busily engaged in removing all that could be rescued from the partly submerged dwellings. At the same time, the river St. Amelie, the liver Reine and the river Tipaerui precipitated their swollen torrents of water into the district of St. Amelie and the town of Rivoli, and bub for the diversion of the water bo the Government gardens these places would have been literally destroyed. The Government officials did everything in their power to organise relief for those who had beeu rendered houseless and homeless, and accompanied by the militai'y and detachments of marines, they proceeded to the most threatened positions and did all they possibly could to save the houses most in danger, and to place the women and children in positions of safety On the morning of March 10th the rainfall had diminished considerably, bub it was found that during the night bhe flood had worked fearful destruction on all side?. ! At Moorea the flood caused a gieat loss, bhe place having been overwhelmed by a berrible avalanche which descended from bhe hills. The village of Papeboai was swept in bo bhe yea by the force of bhe elemenbs, eighb houses being carried bodily off bhe face of bhe earbh and swepb away on bhe stormy wabers of the ocean along with bheir inhabibanbs, men, women, and children, in one helpless mass. A woman and a young girl have also disappeared, and, as bheir bodies have nob been recovered, ib is feared that they have shared a similar f abe. The town was under waber for fchirby-six houi s, and bhe official records gave the depbh of water in bhe principal streets as aboub five feeb. Trees which ornamenbed the sidewalks were uprooted and swept away bodily, and the whole place presents a scene of devastation terrible to witness. The country districts felt the effects of the gale and flood even more severely than bhe town, and many centres of population ■were laid desolabe. Between thirty and forty bridges are reporbed as having been carried away, and it will cost aboub £10,000 to replace them. Roads have ceased to exist, having been choked up or swepb out of exisbence enbirely. Several heavy landslips occurred in the hilly districts, and when fuller information comes to hand it is feared that great loss of life will be recorded. The native plantabions were destroyed, and the inhabitants are not only homeless but in danger of starvation. Go\ eminent officials have been doing what bhey can bo supply bhe wants of bhe people, but, as the "Journal Officiel " points oub, the disasber is so great that little can be done to alleviate the suffering of bhe people except by an appeal to the benevolent public- With this in view it has been suggested thab a cotnmibbee should be formed bo receive all bhe contributions that may be forthcoming in aid of those in distress and bo distribute bhe same. Ib is esbimated that the loss sustained by bhe unfortunate inhabitants of Papetoai alone exceeds 30,000 francs, and a special appeal is made for contributions on their behalf. The mail schooner City of Papeete had a narrow escape ot coming bo grief during the war of wind and flood. She arrived from San Franci&co just as bhe storm was rising, and had made the entrance bo the harbour. Here she waibed to pick up the tug, bub before the latter could reach her bhe sea had risen to such an exbenb bhat she was forced to proceed to sea and remain there for eight days, until the gale abated.