January Weather
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
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January this year ran true to form as a month for had weather in the South Pacific.
But the upsets started even earlier this time, with the two blows that devastated most of Vila and surrounding areas of the New Hebrides in late December (“PIM", January and p. 80 this issue).
The same blows caused damage in the British Solomons, washing away one village on Guadalcanal and damaging smallcraft. The MV “Baruku” was lost in the BSIP. (See p. 139). New Britain reported the worst weather for 20 years (p. 113).
The same hurricane which damaged Niue later hit southern Tonga with the presumed loss of two lives The pier was demolished at Eua Island and buildings damaged, and two small cutters were reported lost in the Haapai Group of Tonga, which also was pounded.
In Goroka, NG, at the end of January, heavy rain swept away bridges, washed out important road links, closed district airstrips and caused blackouts when the Goroka hydro scheme was hit by a landslide (which frequently happens with heavy rain there).