A TIDAL WAVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8060, 15 March 1906, Page 2

A TIDAL WAVE.

DESTRUCTION AT THE ISLANDS. WIDESPREAD DEA'ASTATION. ISLANDS DISAPPEAR. Mil MESS ASSOCIATION Auckland, March 11. There was n tidal wave tit the Society and Pauinotu Islands ou the 7th. At raidniglit many houses hud been abandoned amid great confusion, the residents taking to the higher ground. About 7 a.m ou the Bth the sea reached the maximum height. The houses tlmt withstood the earlier assault were then washed away, and broken into piecemeal.

The subsiding sea was followed by a cyclone, which levelled the trees in the park like a tiring party. It lasted but a few minutes.

The only white casualty reported is the drowning of M. Lcbolacs' caretaker on a small island,

The harbor of Papeete itself suffered to the extent of £120,000, and the whole island to the extent of £IBO,OOO. Three steamers arc believed to have been lost during the cyclone. launiotu, alow archipelago, suffered much more severely. The small islands of Yacro and Hikucru arc said to have disappeared. Seas swept right over many islands. The natives took rcfugo in a cocoanut tree, The schooner Taatc, lost six lives including Father Paul, Catholic Missionary, Ninety-five persons were drowned at Auaa Island, where tho ancc beautiful district of Tuirniro was reduced to a bare coral strand, It will be some time before the full extent of the damage in known.

DETAILS OP THE DISASTER. ISLANDS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED. PEtt MESS ASSOCIATION. Auckland, March 11. Further particulars of the Tahiti disaster, show that in addition to the devastation ut Papeete, mucli greater havoc was wrought iu the Paumotu Islands. Ihc disaster was far roaehiug ou Auaa Island whore ninety five persons lost their lives, most of them natives, while twelve were seriously injured, I In the whole Island there are only ! three houses left to shelter about 500 survivors.

Six deaths have been recorded from Kikueru, and u few were injured, This Island was badly ravaged, in fact as bad as the cyclone of January, 1902. There is only one house left standing in the village.

There were six deaths at Motutonga. Everything on this Island was swept away and nothing was lefl but stones* where before was a smiling village. A small cutter that was badly damaged was the means of saving the lives of S6 of the inhabitants.

Only one house is left standing at Taknravaaiidinuch damage was done by the wind.

Six lives were lost at Taaili. The Catholic Missionary, Father Paul, and a young German managed to climb a eocoanut tree, where they held ou for many hours, but at last the strength of the priest gave way, and he fell in to the waves. The young man, Mr Schach, was saved on the 27th of February.

A cutter belonging to Captain Peters, a Pauuiotos trader, arrived at Papeete from Tikcliau, bringing news that the Islaud had been devastated.

Mr J. A. \ oung, of the fit in of Hen. derson and MacFarlane, states thai from information ho had received, il does not seem probable that the total loss will exceed £'50,000.