Cyclone Sigma was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in North Queensland, Australia on 26–27 January 1896[1][2] and the loss of at least 23 lives.
Sketches of the damage of Cyclone Sigma on Townsville, 1896
The cyclone caused massive destruction to Townsville and surrounding areas. The cyclone passed to the north-east of the town, creating high seas and dumping up to 510 millimetres (20 in) of rain in the area. The Ross River broke its banks, flooding 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) of the town's suburbs with up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) of water. Ten ships were wrecked in the harbour, 17 people died in the flooding, and one sailor was also killed.[1][3]
The cyclone then travelled south towards Rockhampton, creating heavy rainfall. At least 23 people died in the cyclone, with three reported as missing.[3]
It was thought that ketch Lalla Rookh was wrecked during the cyclone;[4][5] however, later reports confirmed that she had escaped.[6][7][8]
Many buildings were destroyed or badly damaged, including:
^ ab. Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorolgy. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
^"Lives lost during cyclone Sigma on Australia Day in 1896". Townsville Bulletin. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
^ ab"Cyclone Sigma". Harden up: Protecting Queensland. Green Cross Australia. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
^"The Queensland storm". The Australian Star. No. 2496. New South Wales, Australia. 1 February 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Storm Sigma". The Telegraph (Brisbane). No. 7266. Queensland, Australia. 31 January 1896. p. 5. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Sigma" in Towmsville". The North Queensland Register. Vol. VI, no. 6. 5 February 1896. p. 31. Retrieved 23 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The cyclone in Queensland". Australian Advertiser. Vol. VIII, no. 1188. Western Australia. 4 February 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The Queensland Cyclone". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXXIII, no. 9, 671. South Australia. 1 February 1896. p. 4. Retrieved 25 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Townsville School of Arts (entry 600925)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^"Tattersalls Hotel (entry 600916)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^"Drystone Wall, Melton Hill, Townsville (entry 600885)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^"St John's Anglican Church Precinct (entry 600880)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^"Grandstand, former totalisator building and main entrance gates, Cluden Racecourse (entry 600924)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
Further readingedit
Callaghan, Jeff (22 September 2011). "Case Study: Cyclone Sigma, 1896" (PDF). Green Cross Australia. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
External linksedit
Media related to Cyclone Sigma at Wikimedia Commons
This article about or related to tropical cyclones is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
cyclone, sigma, template, infobox, tropical, cyclone, being, considered, deletion, tropical, cyclone, that, caused, severe, damage, north, queensland, australia, january, 1896, loss, least, lives, formed25, january, 1896dissipated30, january, 1896lowest, press. The template Infobox tropical cyclone is being considered for deletion Cyclone Sigma was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in North Queensland Australia on 26 27 January 1896 1 2 and the loss of at least 23 lives Cyclone SigmaFormed25 January 1896Dissipated30 January 1896Lowest pressure988 hPa mbar 29 18 inHgFatalities23 confirmed 3 missingPart of the Pre 1900 Australian region cyclone seasonsSketches of the damage of Cyclone Sigma on Townsville 1896The cyclone caused massive destruction to Townsville and surrounding areas The cyclone passed to the north east of the town creating high seas and dumping up to 510 millimetres 20 in of rain in the area The Ross River broke its banks flooding 4 8 kilometres 3 mi of the town s suburbs with up to 2 metres 6 ft 7 in of water Ten ships were wrecked in the harbour 17 people died in the flooding and one sailor was also killed 1 3 The cyclone then travelled south towards Rockhampton creating heavy rainfall At least 23 people died in the cyclone with three reported as missing 3 It was thought that ketch Lalla Rookh was wrecked during the cyclone 4 5 however later reports confirmed that she had escaped 6 7 8 Many buildings were destroyed or badly damaged including Townsville School of Arts 9 Tattersalls Hotel 10 Townsville Showground 11 Townsville Supreme Court 12 St John s Anglican Church 13 Cluden Racecourse and railway station 14 References edit a b CBoM History of Townsville Meteorological Office Australian Government Bureau of Meteorolgy Archived from the original on 20 March 2011 Retrieved 18 January 2016 Lives lost during cyclone Sigma on Australia Day in 1896 Townsville Bulletin 30 January 2015 Retrieved 18 January 2016 a b Cyclone Sigma Harden up Protecting Queensland Green Cross Australia Retrieved 29 October 2016 The Queensland storm The Australian Star No 2496 New South Wales Australia 1 February 1896 p 6 Retrieved 25 January 2021 via National Library of Australia Storm Sigma The Telegraph Brisbane No 7266 Queensland Australia 31 January 1896 p 5 Retrieved 25 January 2021 via National Library of Australia Sigma in Towmsville The North Queensland Register Vol VI no 6 5 February 1896 p 31 Retrieved 23 January 2021 via National Library of Australia The cyclone in Queensland Australian Advertiser Vol VIII no 1188 Western Australia 4 February 1896 p 3 Retrieved 25 January 2021 via National Library of Australia The Queensland Cyclone The Express and Telegraph Vol XXXIII no 9 671 South Australia 1 February 1896 p 4 Retrieved 25 January 2021 via National Library of Australia Townsville School of Arts entry 600925 Queensland Heritage Register Queensland Heritage Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 Tattersalls Hotel entry 600916 Queensland Heritage Register Queensland Heritage Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 Townsville Showground entry 602650 Queensland Heritage Register Queensland Heritage Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 Drystone Wall Melton Hill Townsville entry 600885 Queensland Heritage Register Queensland Heritage Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 St John s Anglican Church Precinct entry 600880 Queensland Heritage Register Queensland Heritage Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 Grandstand former totalisator building and main entrance gates Cluden Racecourse entry 600924 Queensland Heritage Register Queensland Heritage Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 Further reading editCallaghan Jeff 22 September 2011 Case Study Cyclone Sigma 1896 PDF Green Cross Australia a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help External links edit nbsp Media related to Cyclone Sigma at Wikimedia Commons nbsp This article about or related to tropical cyclones is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cyclone Sigma amp oldid 1186156931, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
