Damage on Rarotonga

Cyclonic Storm

Damage on Rarotonga and Niue

ABOUT 20 native houses were destroyed or damaged, and two bridges were washed away, in a cyclonic storm which came out of the north-west and swept over part of Rarotonga on January 31.

Telephone lines were broken, roads were destroyed by heavy seas, and there were extensive losses of bananas, bread fruit, and other native food crops.

The storm struck Niue Island, north west of the Lower Cook Group, on the previous day, causing great damage to banana plants and coconut trees.