Chapter 171: The Wailing of New Zealand
The cabinet meeting lasted until dawn, and after much discussion, Arthur and the cabinet ministers had come up with a more practical disaster relief plan. In preparation for the potential disaster, Australia would mobilize officials and resources from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Prime Minister Evan would take charge of the operation, with Arthur overseeing it personally, and the Ministry of Finance providing strong support. If the typhoon did make landfall on Australia's southeast coast, the country would mobilize all its strength to mitigate the disaster.
The Australian government would allocate at least £500,000 to fund the treatment and relocation of the affected refugees. Meanwhile, the royal family would contribute £600,000 to provide relief and living support to all disaster victims. Additionally, compensation and aid would be provided to Australians who had suffered significant property damage, ensuring they would not be reduced to becoming refugees or part of a low-income group.
By the afternoon of November 7, 1903, the Australian army stationed in the mountains west of Sydney was fully prepared and gradually began moving toward Sydney. Their mission was to station in the western suburbs of Sydney and wait for the typhoon to pass before quickly heading to the southeast coast for initial rescue operations.
The royal consortium's relief supplies were also being urgently prepared. To gather enough supplies, the royal consortium would raise funds in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland and transport the goods by truck.
By the afternoon, the typhoon was approaching Australia's southeast coast, moving northeast from the waters near Melbourne. As Australians watched in both fear and relief, the typhoon began veering southeastward.
This was a piece of fortunate news for Australia. Although the typhoon had once come close to Australia's most important southeast coastal areas, it only lingered in the nearshore region before changing direction and heading southeast.
For Australia, the damage caused by the typhoon was minimal. Aside from some small boats still out in the nearshore area when the typhoon came close, there were no casualties along the coast.
After confirmation that the typhoon was indeed heading southeast, the Australian government relaxed and canceled the previous disaster relief mobilization orders. Australia returned to its normal construction pace.
However, although the mobilization orders for various departments and the army had been canceled, the relief supplies and funds prepared by the government and the royal family were not returned to their original state. To be precise, the relief funds were reduced from the original £500,000 and £600,000 to £150,000 and £300,000, respectively.
But these funds were not for Australia—they were for Australia's southeast neighbor, New Zealand.
New Zealand lay to the southeast of Australia and was one of the most closely allied and friendly neighboring countries. The Australian cabinet ministers were well aware of Arthur's actions in New Zealand, knowing that the country was being courted and was very likely to join Australia in the future.
The cabinet officials, especially the former colonial governors led by Prime Minister Evan, were eager to see this happen. During the time of Australia's colonial period, New Zealand had been part of Australia for a long time. It had only been 63 years since New Zealand officially separated from Australia, so the possibility of a merger remained very real.
The current direction of the typhoon was southeast, and there was a chance it would make landfall in New Zealand. This was something that had to be prevented. If the typhoon hit New Zealand, it would be a massive burden and disaster for the country's already struggling finances.
If Australia and Arthur could offer aid during this time, it would be far more valuable than any future benefits New Zealand could bring to Australia once it had developed.
As long as Australia could win the hearts of the New Zealand people, New Zealand would become a significant part of Australia's influence and could never break free again.
On November 8, 1903, early in the morning, in the small town of Opunake in the southwest of New Zealand's North Island.
This was a typical, quiet small town with a permanent population of just over three thousand. If it weren't for its proximity to South Taranaki Bay and the fact that residents could fish at sea, the town's economic situation might have been similar to other small towns on the South Island.
Fishing was an unstable source of income, with some months bringing in as much as three or four pounds, while other times, the earnings could be less than a pound.
This led the people who lived here to have a more hardworking character. They often set out to sea before dawn and returned home just before dark.
Although it was just after four in the morning, many small fishing boats along the coast of Opunake were already preparing to set sail, carrying kerosene lamps as they got ready to venture further into the Tasman Sea, where the fish populations were more abundant, offering the chance for more earnings.
On one of these ordinary fishing boats, Eric Theodore Cartman and his wife, Osora Aquina, were carefully checking their supplies. After ensuring nothing was forgotten, they were ready for a new day at sea.
"Eric, why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?" Osora Aquina said, frowning as she looked uncertainly at her husband, Eric Theodore Cartman, just before they were about to set sail.
"Mm? It's nothing, Osora. You've probably just been tired lately. Why don't you rest today? I can go alone," Eric Theodore Cartman said, pausing, then trying to comfort her.
"Maybe it's just my imagination, dear. It's fine, I can keep going until we return tonight. A second person is always a help, right?" Osora Aquina said after hearing her husband's explanation and comfort, dismissing her uneasy feeling as a result of lack of rest. She shook her head and cleared her mind.
While they spoke, several other fishing boats had already begun heading toward South Taranaki Bay, and Eric Theodore Cartman, accepting his wife's suggestion to have her stay and help, quickly navigated their boat in the direction of the Tasman Sea to avoid falling behind.
South Taranaki Bay was calm as usual. Aside from the occasional passing fishing boats, the surrounding sea appeared peaceful, with only the sound of water and the hum of steam engines breaking the silence.
As they sailed farther from South Taranaki Bay, Osora Aquina's uneasy feeling intensified, and the gradually increasing waves also made her anxious.
"Darling, what's happening? Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?" Osora Aquina finally couldn't hold it in anymore and turned to Eric Theodore Cartman.
This time, Eric Theodore Cartman didn't smile to reassure her. As an experienced fisherman, he too sensed that the sea conditions were unusual.
As the waves ahead grew stronger, even transforming into layer after layer of surging water, Eric Theodore Cartman's face grew more serious. He turned to Osora Aquina and said, "Maybe you're right, Osora. We can't fish today. Let's turn back quickly and warn everyone—there might be a typhoon coming!"
"Oh, my God. Could it really be a typhoon?" Osora Aquina asked, her face filled with disbelief, unable to take joy in her premonition being confirmed.
"Though we can't be completely sure, it seems highly likely. Osora, please try to notify all the neighbors to evacuate. I'll go find the town mayor and have him inform the other towns to evacuate as well," Eric Theodore Cartman said, his face grim as he steered the boat back toward Opunake.
If it was a major typhoon, the damage to New Zealand would be immense. Even if it didn't make landfall, it could still cause significant harm to the fishermen in the Tasman Sea and the bays of South and North Taranaki.
Even now, dozens of fishing families from Opunake had already set out, not to mention the small towns of South and North Taranaki Bay. At least hundreds of fishermen were already out at sea, and no one knew if half of them would make it back.
Due to Eric Theodore Cartman's use of maximum speed, their boat quickly returned to the small harbor of Opunake.
Osora Aquina and Eric Theodore Cartman didn't bother to clean up their boat, rushing off immediately.
After Eric Theodore Cartman reached the mayor's house and successfully woke him up, the typhoon had already arrived at the shores of Opunake.
Under the typhoon's influence, a heavy rain began to fall in Opunake, a rain the likes of which no one had ever seen before. It woke many people from their sleep, and as they looked at the sky, they were stunned by the enormous raindrops.
Opunake, originally an advantage due to its proximity to the bay, had now become a fatal disadvantage, as the residents could clearly see the giant swirling typhoon in the distance.
Without hesitation, the first instinct of all the residents was to wake up their families, grab their things, and quickly flee toward the interior of the North Island.
Unfortunately, how could the speed of humans compare to that of a typhoon? No sooner had they run out of town than a towering wave, over five meters high, surged toward Opunake, engulfing the town that had stood for over a century.
(End of Chapter)
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