The Month Of The Cyclone

TROPICAL STORMS battered is land groups throughout the Pacific Ocean last month, leaving at least five people dead and causing extensive damage.

On the French South Pacific Territory of New Caledonia, Cyclone Ann has been blamed for two deaths by drowning. Po lice in the capital, Noumea, said the areas worst hit by the cyclone were on the east ern side of the main island, where power lines and trees were brought down and roofs blown off houses.

At the Paiti-la-Tontouta area, north of Noumea, air force helicopters plucked to safety scores of people who had climbed on to the roofs of their homes.

Meanwhile, the Western Pacific island of Guam reported widespread damage after being battered by Typhoon Roy. Po lice said a man who had been pronounced

dead on arrival at hospital during the height of the storm had apparently died of a heart attack. The storm’s eye swept di rectly over Toa, a small island of 1500

people about 64 kilometres north of Guam, and power and water supplies were cut off.

Much of Guam itself was left without water supplies during the storm when auth orities shut down the power supply to prevent danger from live wires.

Typhoon Roy had earlier swept over Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, leaving two people dead on the tiny island of Ebeye, where more than 3000 of the 10,000 in habitants were left homeless.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Ann caused widespread destruction in the Banks group of islands in Vanuatu. Thousands of people were made homeless. □

Kanaks make to safety as Cyclone Anne floods New Caledonia.