RUIN AND DESOLATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1918, Page 8

RUIN AND DESOLATION.

THE DISASTER AT JIACKAY STOUY OF TUJi VISITATIONTlillKlFlU TORNADO AND UOWiV I'oun Recent Australian iilcs give full tictails of the appall iny disaster which visited Mackay, of Queensland, as the result of a cyclone and downpour of unprecedented intensity and extent The Mackay Standard of January 2ii, alter detailing a previous happening of a like nature, and pointing out tuat this transcended all previous experiences, stated that the break in the line weather on Friday, January 4, was responsible for 20.94 inches of rain up to I) a.m. on Saturday, January 1!), IS inches being recorded in the first 24 hours of this period- A strong coastal blow was a feature of the week-end weather, it becoming a gale of intensity at times until, at about 10 p.m. on Sunday, the abnormal conditions, presaged by the heavy fall in the barometer and forecasted by a special message from the Weather Bureau in Brisbane,on Sunday evening, suddenly developed into a 'blow certainly deserving the name of 'cyclone." At D'p-m. on Sunday the telegraph office barometer recorded 29.371, and at U o'clock the lightkeeper at Flat Top reported: "Gale had a velocity of 70 miles per hour." That was the last report received from Flat Top, communication having apparently been interrupted immediately. The blow continued, and acquired additional force, thick rain squalls adding to the terrors of the disturbance, the general feeling of alarm being testified by the unextinguished light in numerous houses. Hour after hour passed without diminution of the force of the tornado, and there was a general belief that the co-ordination of wind and tide would 'bring the synchronism of the blow and the full tide between 5 and 6 a.m. On Monday at 4 a.m. the post office barometer showed a reading at the lowest possible point on the instrument, and opposite the mark indicating catastrophe. At this time it was seen that some residences liad been totally wrecked, and although a couple of fatalities were caused by falling structures it is a wonder that the death-roll from this agency was not larger Buildings which might have been regarded as proof a"ainst any storm were often the first to sueeomb. Till shortly after daybreak the direction of the cyclone had lieen from, the south, but now it came direct from the east, and later veered round until its front of attack was due north To thes? variations was doubtless due the - preat extent of the damage. Discomforts were accentuated wlien it wc found that no gas or water were available through the mains No one could venture out of doors. Before the pale sheets of galvanised iron were hurled like scraps of .paper across the road, while the terrific force of the wind impeded progress, and the rain cut like a knife.

RELIEF PARTIES. Members of the police energetically tackled their emergency duties, and were ass ; sted by the ambulance and live brigades and* numerous volunteers for the dangerous work entailed by the flooding of the low-lying areas where many persons had to' be rescued. It was necessary to provide accommodation for refugees, and many were- established in the Town Hall. Red Cross rooms, Technical College, "P.R.F. Society's room. Post Office, .School of Arts, Pioneer Shire Hall, and other places. The stocks of the Red Cross Society were utilised, and the rescued people were provided with socks and pyjamas in place of the saturated clothing. The State schools at the west end of the town were rendered useless for refuge, their roofs Having been so damaged that the interiors were flooded; and although [the drill shed was used for some time it eventually became untenable- The storekeepers displayed much generosity, especially in lending blankets, and help was forthcoming from all quarters. At 10.30 p.m. the cyclone had eased off considerably, the barometer indicating 20.123, and" a number of ...ightsecrs inspected the damage done to the main portion of the town. It had been transformed almost beyond recognition, for scarcely a building had escaped, and many were in ruins. All kinds of debris, jalvaniscd iron, building material, telephone wire, branches of trees, and contents of buildings littered the streets, and the fine banyan trees in Victoria and Sydney streets had suffered greatly. many being torn up by fl the roots, while those standing were mere skeletons. Surrounding all this litter was water, the roads and paths being covered so that they resembled an unbroken si ream. Shocking reports were about of disaster and loss of life in .the low-lying localities at the eastern and southern ends of the town, contiguous to the river on one side, and the tide-affected flats on the other, were about. A catastrophe at this place occurred early on Monday morning, when the full tide forced the river to break its banks, inundating places that had been thought perfectly safe- Some families made good their escape, but other were cut off, and surrounded before they could retreat. and in rescuing ibese conspicuously brave work was done by rescue parties Nevertheless, it is regrettable to record that families were washd away, and there was an authenticated death roll of 19.

Disaster was met with by the steamers Tay, Brinawarr, Pelican, and Osprey, ind the Oovernment steamer Relief. while a great portion of the Sydney street bridge was carried away. The Tay foiled the bridge, and (lien went ashore on the north side of the river, opposite the convent, being apparently in a hopeless position. The Pelican grounded on the down stream side of the bridge, near the site of the Cremorne Motel, hut later improved her portion. The Brinawarr sank abovr the bridge, and the Osprey below, while the T?el?ef sank at her moorings. Steam launches were also thrown high and dry, and sent to the bottom. Considerable expenditure will be entailed in rebuilding the Sydney street bridge. Between the river and Barns Creek all the buildings, including the Cremorne Hotel, were completely wrecked. The cyclone, after continuing with unabated force for fourteen hours, began to ease off after 1.30 p.m. on Monday, but some fitful gusts occurred, and the final blow did not take place till S o'clock, an electrical disturbance breaking over the town in the evening with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. On Tuesday rain was stjll falling .heavily but in the orthodox fashion peculiar to the web season in the north. THEN THE RAIN. Then same the rain. The Melbourne

Age's special correspondent at Mackay writes: An idea, or the heavy nature of tin? rainfall accompanying tlie cyclone may be formed from the fact that from 8 pin. Sunday, 20th, to 1) a.m. Tuesday, -J2f.il', the gauge at the post uiliee allowed tin: phenomenal fall of 24.(iti inches Nearly lour feel of rain fell in IS days. There was more thunder during Tuesday forenoon, and, if anything, the rain was heavier than at any previous period of tins eventful month. Altso it waH continuous, and, as the result, the streets are now feet deep in water SStandiiifi' at any of tile intersections nothing but an unbroken sheet of water meets the eye of the pedestrian. Nothing approaching this volume of surface water .has ever before been witnessed in Mac-k-ay. The rainfall from Sunday night, when the disturbance started, to !) ajn. Friday was 51i.2(> inches, which, added to 21.40 inches from 4th inst to Sunday evening, gives the record for the month of TT.IHi inches, equivalent, roughly, to the whole of the rainfall in a good year. Some families made a speedy and safe escape, while others not so fortunate were cut off and surrounded by water before they could retreat. It was in the rescue of these people that conspicuously brave work was done l.y relief parties, but in a few cases families were washed away, and to material damage inflicted by the. storm wa<? added the loss of miiry lives. *J"i» extravagant reports which gained currency on tin. first day were, happ ly, not realised, hat ilie authei'ti..u?d death roll of id was, nevertheless shocking to the - imagination and one of the most tragic features of this terrible catastrophe,

THE STRICKEN TOWN. INTERESTING DESCRIPTION. Mackay, built on the inside of a bond on the Pioneer River, has suffered many inundations. The land is low-lying and monotonously flat, and a tide that runs up higher than usual floods the backyards. All ,the places are built on piers, and generally speaking they consist of wood or iron, with wide verandahs to the dwellings. On the south side the river bank is several foot higher than the town In time of flood tide the water rushes into the town through the culverts, inundating all the low-lying parts behind the raised banks. Just above the town is what is known as the Devil's Elbow. The rise of the tide is 18ft or 20ft which means a very strong current in the river, according to whether the tide is making or running out. When the tide is out the river is practically dir\ lii» torrent strikes the Devil's Elbow, where a low island serves as a, sort of training wall, and, rebounding, is thrown with terrific force on the opposite bank just above the Pioneer Bridge. When the tide is helped by florid waters from the back country, bringing down hundreds of tons of debris, the bridge serves ns a blocking point. Hugo staeV*; of timber ar.d wreckage from the farms pile up against the pier-* of the bi'idge. and the waters pour into the town. The r.'fuse swarms with snakes, crabs, spiders, and all sorts of creatures necking riji'uge from the flood. The business centre is confined to Sydney street and Victoria street. Running at right angles, Sydney street inrtu with the Pioneer Bridge, about a quarter of a mile long, giving access to the eoun'.ry lying to the north of tlje river. The I'ustonis House is the last building oti the south side of the river fronting Sydney Street, and a thoroughfare that r.kirts the river tank. Further along the bank is the Post Office, which occupies a site near Wood street, the next parallel roadway to Sydney street. The ocean beach is about a mile from the bridge, and the town is hidden from the ocean by a dense mangrove growth. Torrential rains are of frequent occurrence in Mackay. and violent storms are often experienced. On one occasion the rainfall amounted.to llin in nine hours. When one of these downpours occurs the town swishes about In a waterhole, and people climb down from their houses, perched up on piers out of ordinary harm's way. The whole of the land lying eastward of Sydney street is subjected to flood with very little provocation. Tn many cases the land that has been built on, including the sites occupied by shops, is considerably below the level of the road. Even when the town is mostly under water,, therefore, business proceeds along drv roads as if nrjv ihjr out of the way had happened. The population of Mackay is about 5000, while the whole district has a population of from SHOO to 10.000 people. IN' THE HEART OF A CYCLONE. A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. Cyclones come and cyclones go, and North Queensland towns are continually being rebuilt. There is scarcely a from Thursday Island to Broadsound (says a Sydney Sun writer) that has not been blown down. Bowen has disappeared on several occasions. A dozen years ago Townsville experienced two cyclones in a couple of years. They were introduced by the redoubtable Mr. Clement Wra'gge, wuo announced their coming under the names of Leonta and Sigma, It is still a disputed point among Old North Queenslanders as to which roared the louder and did the more damage. Evperienee had taught people in Townsville to detect the coming of a cyclonic blow. When the barometer commences to fall below a certain figure, those of the population who are not seeking a safe nlace underground go out and tighten up the props of the house. There are some tense moments before the blow comes. It darkens. There is a stillness in the air as though the worlds heart has ceased to bea,-. A creepy sensation steals over the stoutest heart. Then, ns if switched on by means of an electric button, the wind shrieks like 10.000 devils, and the earth roclcs. Round and round it goes, snatching up everything m tlie wav, rippinRhect of iron from roofs as though tcarni2 paper from a pad. Soinetim-s It takes the whole roof at. once, and then, getting ipside the building, blows the walls out, flat. The roof will proTmbly go sonrma away for miles, along with many other roofs, and all the domestic poultry flying before the storm. This ■ is a mere prelude. The safest place in the absence of a cellar—which is certainly not a part of a Queensland hou-e —'.? under a barricaded fa hie. in top of which the d.-bris fill--, and mike* the inmate evert further .scence, until the flood-gates open and rain falls, not in inches, but in feet, at a time Townsville, after.the great cyclone, looked as though it had been pushed over. Whole ! streets of houses—the wooden houses so familiar in the' north—were either lifted up and deposited long distances i away, or blown flat. Brick buildings fared nt> better. Thov were not topi pled over into a heap of broken material, the top story was either broken off or ripped up and twisted round out of shape. t Curious things, happened. The terri*

fie blow struck Cleveland Bay with such force that it whipped the ocean hack, laying hare the bottom of the seaHorses, made frantic by the storm, making a dash for the open, galloped on to this firm land. It wa.s'biily for a moment: the storm took another turn, and the ocean came back and, uigulftd then. After all, the idea of the Children of Irsael crossing the Red Sea is not a fable. It only needed a cyclone to enable them to do soThe bush (Inside tltc township formed a good playground for the knife of the storm. Coming with a dash, it cut roads through as though with a knife. Huge gum trees were cut off close to the ground like the hair on a man's chin underneath a razor. This was done .by \he outward blow of the storm. The cyclone, after it had completed its circling, bursts outwards like a shell, and that is why the present storm has been felt as far west as Boulia- The blow outside the locality is not cyclonic, it is only a kind of preclusion, ami pressure of the wind outwards, which carries everything before it until it is spent