Internet Edition Issue 2
May 2005

Editorial

Viewpoint

Cyclone Strikes Kalumburu

Managing Diabetes At Warmun

From the Office of Justice, Ecology & Peace

KCP Magazine

Cyclone Strikes Kalumburu
Help needed to rebuild remote mission

Cyclone Ingrid savagely struck the Kimberley settlement of Kalumburu last month. Devastating winds lashed this remote Mission early on the morning of Wednesday 16th March.

The Mission Administrator, Greg Bell and his wife Karen said the deafening sound of the surging winds contributed to “the most frightening night of our lives”.

Benedictine Sisters Scholli, Visi and Barbara heard a lot of materials being smashed around outside their convent. Roofing was torn from their verandah, trees fell against their residence, fences were crushed and, sadly, their kitchen, an annexe to the convent, was virtually destroyed. “It was really something that cyclone”, said 88 year old Sr Scholli who is well-known for her preferred mode of transport, a quad motor bike. Fr Seraphim Sanz stayed in the monastery with his back to the door of his room which kept blowing open all night. Lay Missionary, Michael Keane, tried to sleep in the Mission Store and wisely stayed inside when an enormous African Mahogany snapped sending branches crashing down around the small building.

Many roofs in the light industrial area of the Mission were sent packing by the winds and some walls were blown out of sheds in the same area. Atowering mango tree planted in 1939 narrowly missed the heritage stone monastery. In the village, eight homes continued without power for some days after the electricity in the rest of the settlement had been restored.

Accommodation and sheds were torn apart by the first cyclone (Ingrid) to hit Kalumburu since 1908.

Electricity, or the lack of it, was an issue at Kalumburu as wires were put out ofaction by flying debris. The water supply was not on tap for three days but the rainfall and the river meant nobody went
thirsty.

State Emergency Service (SES) personnel were quick to arrive on the scene not far behind a relief party sent in by Bishop Saunders. With electricians, plumbers and chainsaw operators on hand the town was almost back to normal within nine days.

Bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders, said the Mission was far more seriously damaged than the village. “The old buildings, not built to cyclone standards, were no match for this once in a hundred year event. Never before had Kalumburu been so seriously battered. But the people there are resilient and determined” the Bishop said “with a lot of work, the people will bounce back as will the beautiful natural surroundings that distinguish Kalumburu”.

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