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Townsville after being struck by Cyclone 'Leonta', 1903

from State Library of Queensland

• Vesna Verencevic said:

  Cyclone Leonta hit Townsville on 9 March 1903. Very destructive winds caused significant damage to a number of buildings. The grammar school was largely destroyed and one of the General Hospital's main wards collapsed. The cyclone caused 14 deaths. Nine people died in the hospital. Two people were found dead in destroyed houses, and another at Stanton Hill. There were two deaths in Charters Towers when Leonta moved further inland. The damage in 1903 was estimated at approximately £250,000. Tropical cyclone Leonta during March 1903 recurved over Townsville where the barometer dropped to 965 hectopascals. The winds reached hurricane force (average speed 64 knots or more) when the winds were mostly from the south-west of south-south-west. The most damage came from the severe wind gusts with flying roofing iron, buildings blown over and verandas wrenched away. It was almost midday on Monday, when the wind attained hurricane force, and it caused tremendous destruction and serious loss of life. The storm centre must have passed very close to North Ward, for it was this section of the city which suffered most. The greatest disaster of all was the collapse of one of the main wards of the General Hospital. Source: knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/cyclone-cyclone-leonta-qu...