On 20 January 1918, a cyclone with wind gusts estimated at 195 km per hour hit Mackay. At least 30 people were killed in Mackay and Rockhampton. In Rockhampton 1400 homes were damaged by the subsequent flooding of the Fitzroy River and six people drowned. Most of the deaths were caused by a storm surge that created waves of up to 2.7 m which broke in the centre of the town. The cyclone generated rainfall of 1141 mm over three days which flooded the Pioneer River. Further south, the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton peaked at 9.3 m where on 23 January six people drowned. The news of the disaster did not reach the outside world for five days as communication links were down, leading to rumours that Mackay had been totally destroyed. The cyclone brought a 3.6m storm surge into Mackay.