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The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3561450
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THE FLOODIN TEE CLARENCE.
DAMAGE TO-THE CANE OBOP.
THE FLOOD SUBSIDING.
. Tho S. il/. Herald's Maclean correspondent, under data Tuesday lost, says :-Yesterday morning the weather was pretty olear, although light showers foil at intervals. Nearly half the town is under water, but tho rise is not yet .within about 18in. of the highest rise of the series of floods which have occurred this year. Numbers of people havo bean compelled to leave tboir homes by tho unwelcome incursion of flood-waters. Business is at a standstill, and trafilo generally blocked. Hundreds of acres of agricultural land are flooded to a depth of soveral foot. This visitation oan only bo looked upon as another calamity, and following' so closely after the numbers we have had pp oontond with already this year, will "cause sovore losses and privation. The roads will again bo reduced to a bad state, and a vote will be required to eiïoot the necessary repairs, and give relief to tbosa who have suffered losses. At Yaamba the gale on Saturday was the most violent yet known at Oloreuco Hoads. - The soo raged mountains high, wbilo the river inside the bar waa almost as rough. A portion of tha southern break- water has boon swept away, and also part of the new training-wall whioh is now being con- structed. At Harwood during the storm heavy hailstones fell, and tho wind drovo the waves up over tho bank on to the main road. One of tho company's launches sank. During the thundorBtorm on" Saturday a resident ot Ulmarra lost seventeen hoad of fat cattlo by one stroko of lightning. Much of the sugar- cane has been levelled by the galo, and this will oause loss to the growers, as some of it will, thus bo submerged on tho flooded lands, and will consequently deteriorate before it can bo cut during tho approaching sugar season. The leaves of tho young cane wero torn into shrods by tho galo, which will have the effect of chooking its growth. This is the fourth flood this district has experienced this year, besides tho losses occasioned by a long-continued period ot excessively rainy weather. The Olarenco valley is now one shoot of water, only broken by oooasionol high localities, which stand out like so many islands. Most of the agricultural land is submerged, but the losses resulting from the visitation cannot yet bo computed, or even ascertained, until the destroying element has withdrawn its prosoncc. A tórrido storm occurred here on Sunday, accompanied by a gale of a velocity estimated at fifty milos an hour. The rain fell in blinding sheets from 4 o'clock till about 11 o'alook at night, when there wera heavy thunder and vivid lightning. The wind blew down treos in great numbers all over the district, huge giants of the forest being either snapped off at the base or torn up by the roots, while brokon limbs detached by the fury of tho gale aro strewn all over the bush. Serious damage was occasioned to many buildings. The rivor roso moro quickly yesterday than
has ever been known boforo, and quantities ot driftwood that were boing carried down by the sweeping current in tho early port of 'ho day wore surprisingly plentiful. The flood-water covered all tho wharves, and broke over tho banks in the main.streets. The damage, although severo after othor similar visitations, will not be so appalling as timt caused by the last floods, as lhere, aro no maizo or othor crops to destroy on,tho land Hablo to inunda- tion. In the dairying districts the loss will be great by the destruction to the grass, which was not too good previously, owing to tho timo of year. Many householders who oxpectqd to be Hooded out removed to places of safety, and packed up their furniture.
The rain ceased áarly yeptorday morning. To-night it is again->falhng, but the wind has
lulled.