A tropical storm

Friday Nov 8^th 1929: Cloncurry

Too hot altogether: have been expecting something to happen as the outcome of the hot, steamy weather and tonight it happened and with a vengeance too. Cec and I went across to Young’s to tea. Big banks of heavy storm clouds had covered the sky and there was a very angry sunset. Plenty of thunder and lightning in the distance. First herald of a disturbance was a terrific duststorm. In a few minutes there was a thick coat of dust on everything. Tea could not be partaken of until there was a general clean up and still we ate grit. Heavens by now was brilliantly illuminated by lightning and with the heavy clouds about was a wonderful sight. Cecil was especially thrilled and would not come in to tea, as he had for a long time desired to see a tropical storm. The thunder and lightning became more fierce and yet more wonderful. A few heavy drops of rain fell and then a lull. A few minutes later though the rain started in earnest, then the wind reached cyclonic force and the lightning made the whole storm rather fearsome. We feared that the house was going to be lifted and deposited, noone dared suggest where. All tins and anything loose lying about were soon fast disappearing in the distance. The lightning was so continuous that outside it was as day. The ground soon represented a vast lake and in front of the house, where there was a small gully, a few minutes before quite dry, now was a swirling race of muddy water. It was all over in about an hour but left traces behind of its visit, so as we would not soon forget. Mencar rang up for us to go home, and after ploughing through mud and wading through ater, we reached high land and a car and went home. What a sight greeted us. Half the home had either disappeared or was blown in. Mencar and his wife were standing in the front room surrounded by everything, some wet some dry, hastily thrown from the two bedrooms which had been unroofed. It was a mess and looked it. Many others in the town were in the same plight. We could do nothing but fix things so if it rained again, nothing more would get wet. This we did. Had many kind invitations from friends to spend the night at different homes but went back to Young’s. The baby had slept through it all. So came and passed on my first tropical storm.

Saturday Nov 9^th 1929:

Joined the crowds of sightseers this morning and went the rounds, inspecting the damage done, did some snapping. A fair amount of damage done, mostly in unroofing places. One hotel lost all its front balcony. One row of shops lost their verandah. Methodism suffered to the largest extent as W(esley) C(hurch)’s were to be found in all sort of odd places and at queer angles. The Cloncurry River was a fine sight although the water was terribly muddy. In the afternoon though there came the reckoning. Mencar got in two girls, one to do the washing and one to clean up the house and they were ‘all out’. Having once held a hammer my job was outside. One wall, having been blown in, has to be shifted and put in position. Iron had to be collected and replaced as well as other jobs. The place was patched up though and will stand for a time until it is done properly when it will have to be rebuilt, that is the portion that was so badly damaged. Had another rain storm at night but no damage done this time. Noone growls about the damage however as the rain is so welcome.