# Cyclone Sigma > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cyclone_Sigma > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cyclone_Sigma.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Sigma > Source revision: 1340877486 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|1896 Australia cyclone}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2016}} {{infobox weather event | image = | caption = | formed = 25 January 1896 | dissipated = 30 January 1896 }}{{infobox weather event/scale | winds = | pressure = 988 }}{{infobox weather event/Effects | year = 1896 | fatalities = 23 confirmed | missing = 3 | damage = | areas = | refs = }}{{infobox weather event/Footer | season = [Pre-1900 Australian region cyclone seasons](/source/List_of_Australian_region_cyclones_before_1900) }} thumb|Sketches of the damage of Cyclone Sigma on Townsville, 1896 '''Cyclone Sigma''' was a deadly [tropical cyclone](/source/tropical_cyclone) that caused severe damage in [North Queensland](/source/North_Queensland), Australia on 26–27 January 1896{{Cite web|title = CBoM – History of Townsville Meteorological Office|url = http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/townsville/history.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320214418/http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/townsville/history.shtml|archive-date=20 Mar 2011|website = Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorolgy|access-date = 18 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsville-150/lives-lost-during-cyclone-sigma-on-australia-day-in-1896/news-story/3533591a948c9055f87b1a250349dda5|title=Lives lost during cyclone Sigma on Australia Day in 1896|date=30 January 2015|publisher=[Townsville Bulletin](/source/Townsville_Bulletin)|accessdate=18 January 2016|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007204615/https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsville-150/lives-lost-during-cyclone-sigma-on-australia-day-in-1896/news-story/3533591a948c9055f87b1a250349dda5|url-status=live}} and the loss of at least 23 lives. The cyclone caused massive destruction to [Townsville](/source/Townsville) and surrounding areas. The cyclone passed to the north-east of the town, creating high seas and dumping up to {{convert|510|mm}} of rain in the area. The [Ross River](/source/Ross_River_(Queensland)) broke its banks, flooding {{convert|3|mi|order=flip}} of the town's suburbs with up to {{convert|2|m}} of water. Ten ships were wrecked in the harbour, 17 people died in the flooding, and one sailor was also killed.{{cite web| website=Harden up: Protecting Queensland| publisher=[Green Cross Australia](/source/Green_Cross_International)| title=Cyclone Sigma| url=http://hardenup.org/be-aware/weather-events/events/1890-1899/cyclone-sigma-1896-01-26.aspx| access-date=29 October 2016| archive-date=31 January 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131092310/http://hardenup.org/be-aware/weather-events/events/1890-1899/cyclone-sigma-1896-01-26.aspx| url-status=live}} The cyclone then travelled south towards [Rockhampton](/source/Rockhampton), creating heavy rainfall. At least 23 people died in the cyclone, with three reported as missing. It was thought that ketch [''Lalla Rookh''](/source/Lalla_Rookh_(1875_ship)) was wrecked during the cyclone;{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231642280 |title=The Queensland storm |newspaper=[The Australian Star](/source/The_Australian_Star) |issue=2496 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 February 1896 |accessdate=25 January 2021 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=12 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240512065146/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/231642280 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172420391 |title=Storm Sigma |newspaper=[The Telegraph (Brisbane)](/source/The_Telegraph_(Brisbane)) |issue=7266 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=31 January 1896 |accessdate=25 January 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=12 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240512065120/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/172420391 |url-status=live }} however, later reports confirmed that she had escaped.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79289025 |title=Sigma" in Towmsville |newspaper=[The North Queensland Register](/source/The_North_Queensland_Register) |volume=VI |issue=6 |date=5 February 1896 |accessdate=23 January 2021 |page=31 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=12 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240512065119/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/79289025 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article260680070 |title=The cyclone in Queensland |newspaper=[Australian Advertiser](/source/Australian_Advertiser) |volume=VIII |issue=1188 |location=Western Australia |date=4 February 1896 |accessdate=25 January 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=12 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240512065120/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260680070 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209056868 |title=The Queensland Cyclone |newspaper=[The Express and Telegraph](/source/The_Express_and_Telegraph) |volume=XXXIII |issue=9,671 |location=South Australia |date=1 February 1896 |accessdate=25 January 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=12 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240512065156/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/209056868 |url-status=live }} Many buildings were destroyed or badly damaged, including: * [Townsville School of Arts](/source/Townsville_School_of_Arts){{cite QHR|15700|Townsville School of Arts|600925|accessdate=1 August 2014}} * [Tattersalls Hotel](/source/Tattersalls_Hotel%2C_Townsville){{cite QHR|15691|Tattersalls Hotel|600916|accessdate=1 August 2014}} * [Townsville Showground](/source/Townsville_Showground){{cite QHR|29022|Townsville Showground|602650|accessdate=1 August 2014}} * [Townsville Supreme Court](/source/Drystone_Wall%2C_Melton_Hill){{cite QHR|15660|Drystone Wall, Melton Hill, Townsville|600885|accessdate=1 August 2014}} * [St John's Anglican Church](/source/St_John's_Anglican_Church%2C_South_Townsville){{cite QHR|15655|St John's Anglican Church Precinct|600880|accessdate=1 August 2014}} * [Cluden Racecourse and railway station](/source/Cluden_Racecourse){{cite QHR|15699|Grandstand, former totalisator building and main entrance gates, Cluden Racecourse|600924|accessdate=1 August 2014}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==Further reading== *{{cite journal|url=http://hardenup.org/umbraco/customContent/media/641_Townsville_Cyclone_Sigma_1896.pdf |title=Case Study: Cyclone Sigma, 1896|first= Jeff |last=Callaghan|date=22 September 2011 |publisher=[Green Cross Australia](/source/Green_Cross_International)|journal=Harden Up Queensland|access-date=19 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621171724/http://hardenup.org/umbraco/customContent/media/641_Townsville_Cyclone_Sigma_1896.pdf|archive-date=21 June 2023}} == External links == {{Commons category-inline|Cyclone Sigma}} Category:1896 in Australia Category:Tropical cyclones in 1896 Sigma Category:Disasters in Queensland Category:North Queensland Category:January 1896 in Oceania {{Tropical-cyclone-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cyclone Sigma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Sigma) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Sigma?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.