A Terrible Hurricane.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2919, 8 June 1888, Page 2

A Terrible Hurricane.

Details of the tremendous windstorm which has devastated Dacca have now been telegraphed by the Calcutta correspondent of the Times, It appears that a little rain fell early in the evening and then ceased. Half an hour later, at seven o'clock, dense black clouds suddenly appeared in the south-west, and almost immediately a hurricane of terrific force}} swept through Dacca, destroying every obstacle in its course. It lasted barely three minutes, and was succeeded by a complete calm, Fortunately the width of the storm's track was only about five hundred feet. It struck the west of the town, and, after completely wrecking the large stone police barracks and a number of huts, crossed the river, and made a circuitous sweep, utterly destroying several villages, then recrossing the river it attacked with unabated fury the magnificont palace of the leading Mahonwdan of Dacca, Sir Abdul Gani Mia. It then pursued its course through the most densely populated quarter. The appearance of Dacca is described as like that of a bombarded city. The largest and most massive houses are heaps of ruins. The west wing of the Nawab's palace is a mass of broken masonry, the splendid furniture being entirely destroyed. Balls of flame are said to have been observed accompanying the hurricane. The college, the church, and other public buildings, and the houses occupied by the Europeans, being outside the track of the storm, were uninjured, Up to this date 112 bodies have been recovered and 1000 cases are being treated in the hospital, The loss of property is estimated at 100,000 rupees, The Nawab's estimated loss is 50,000 rupees. He has generously subscribed 10,000 rupees to the relief fund. His European engineer had a narrow escape, for the roof fell on him, and a native by his side was killed by a falling beam. Storms of this character are almost unknown in India. The weather has, however, been abnormal, owing to the fact that during March and April there was an entire absence of the usual local storms,