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C. 84556/31 [No. 49].

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No. 11.

Despatch from the Governor of Mauritius to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

(No. 148.)

MY LORD,

(Received 12th May, 1931.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

PORT LOUIS,

8th April, 1931.

I have had the honour to report by telegram the main features of the damage suffered in the hurricane which struck Mauritius on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of March. The following report amplifies the information already telegraphed.

2. The high winds began on the night of Wednesday the 4th> March and blew continuously with varying intensity till the evening of Saturday the 7th March. The heaviest damage occurred on Thursday when the wind reached at times a recorded velocity of 84 miles per hour. On this day the centre of the storm apparently passed just south of the island, but thereafter instead of receding the hurricane appears to have recurved in the area between Mauritius and Reunion and the wind blew from a northerly and north-westerly direction for a prolonged period during Friday and Saturday. The unusual duration of the storm served to aggravate the damage caused by the winds of greatest intensity on the Thursday. Very heavy rains fell during the whole period. Though only 22 inches were recorded during the three days at the weather recording station at Vacoas, private records in other areas returned as much as 44 inches and in one case 60 inches. Owing to the very high winds driving the rain horizontally records are not reliable and vary greatly with the situation of the various gauges. heavy and continuous rain increased the damage in buildings already damaged by wind and caused flooding which broke down bridges and scoured road surfaces.

The

3. The heaviest damage occurred in the centre and south of the Island; the districts of Moka, Plaines Wilhems, Grand Port, Savanne, and Black River being the greatest sufferers. In Port Louis the damage generally was less severe but one quarter (known as Tranquebar) lying closely under the mountain and consisting of small houses and huts of poor construction suffered heavily. The position in the harbour was dangerous owing to the long continu- ance of winde from a northerly and north-westerly direction. Fortunately, the larger steamships in harbour escaped damage though many moorings were dragged. One sailing ship-the St. Geran a locally registered vessel trading to the Oil Islands," was beached and seriously damaged, and one or two lighters and

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smaller craft, including the Clayton disinfecting barge, were sunk. The wooden frontages of the Coasters Wharf a range of quayage in front of Warehouses on the south-west side of the harbour were entirely washed away and the wooden-pile frontage of the Customs Landing Wharf was also destroyed. The new Quays stood well only slight damage to the coping over a few feet being recorded. The main Customs Landing Shed was swept by the sea and a quantity of goods washed off, most of which were subsequently washed up again on the square abutting on the harbour. A photo- graph showing the debris from wooden wharves washed up also on this area is enclosed.

4. I append a copy of a summary of reports made by the Police in the various districts of the general damage suffered. This report, made on a form prescribed for the purpose, does not distinguish between buildings damaged or totally destroyed, but it may be taken generally that the thatched buildings referred to in column 5 have been more or less completely demolished and those in columns 1, 2, and 3 damaged in varying degrees but in the majority of cases not entirely destroyed. The estimate of crop damage given is of little value, but it may serve to indicate by comparison the districts in which the damage was most severe. I also enclose a preliminary report by the Director of Public Works on the damage to public buildings. It has not yet been possible In fact, however, to compile a detailed report and estimate. nearly all public buildings of the smaller kind and lighter construction have been damaged in varying degrees, outbuildings and servants' quarters demolished, and extensive repairs made In larger buildings, though the damage is more restricted and less striking to the eye, considerable repairs are also required in many cases in replacing partially damaged roofs, renewing shingles, glass and shuttering, replacing fences, etc. Flooding has in many cases caused internal damage to equipment and furniture. Although in no single larger building will the damage caused involve very extensive reconstruction, the total cost of repair and replacement will be considerable. Damage to bridges and roads, embankments, drains, culverts, etc., is in many cases extensive and must be made good.

necessary.

5. I enclose a statement prepared by the Director of Public Works giving a preliminary rough estimate of the cost of repairs compiled from reports supplied by the various departments. The staff of the Public Works Department has been busily occupied in dealing with the repair of essential buildings such as hospitals, re- opening roads and bridges, etc., and in clearing drains to prevent flooding so that it has not yet been possible to furnish a detailed estimate of damages. I trust, however, that it may in any case not exceed the total given in the enclosure. Considerable difficulty has been caused by local flooding. In several areas, what appear * Not reproduced,

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON

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