HEAVY FLOOD IN THE RIVER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1602, 6 July 1887, Page 3

HEAVY FLOOD IN THE RIVER.

The Ashburton River waß very heavily flooded this morning. The rain of last night brought down the snow on the front ranees of MIIb, the consequence being that when day broke the river was running bank and bank, the volume ot wa'er being greater than has been seen here ior five or six years past At an early hour people made their way to the river to see how the bridges bore the strain, and it was seen that one of the piers of piles of the Railway Bridge was decidedly shaky. This pier, which like the others is composed of ten piles, was the second from the Ashburton approach, and it had to ■tand against a very strong current thrown on to it from the bank of boulders which ■erve as a protection to the approach. The j pier was soon, therefore, undermined and which waß evidenced by its first going off the plumb, and m a short time several of the pileß were dangling from the bridge, the bridge Itself appreciably subsiding at the point. Soon after some of the loose piles were torn away, and by ten o clock fear had none. The traffic bridge did not seem to be much affected by the flood, but it was feared that the piles torn from the Bailway Budge might by dashing up •gainstit injure it. However, although two or three of the pile 3 struck against it with Buffioient force to make the teeth of persons standing on it rattle, no damage conld be seen to have been done. Of Course it was out of the qneßtion for trains to go over the Bailway Bridge, and consequently passengers had to walk over, the traffic bridge and their baggage taken acrosa m trollies. Goods traffic was entirely suspended.All along tbe river paddocks are man. dated and f ?nces have been swept away. At Dlgby's bridge the approach on the •outh side ha.i been swept away, the protective works proving futile to stay the waters. Tbe "outer groin has been ■wept away and the water has made a breach m the inner theD, running across the road, * great deal of which has been cut away. At the Woollen Factory no appreciable damage has been done. Although a large stream is running strongly under the bank the willows which have been planted afford effectual protection. At Wakanui, the flood is felt most Mverely, the water baa broken through below tbe protective works and h»s made it* way right to the Baach road. Wilson '•» road is like a river, the water, !n places, pouring over rhe hedges into the adjoining paddocks m cataracts. Mr S. Brown's paddocks are /trader water, and from thence looking towards the sea the water extends hi an almost unbroken sheet. Although Mr Brown's house must ba •bout a mile from the river proper the Wftter is pouring along m a foaming torrent. The damajje which twi been done muit be considerable, bet as yet, of course, cinnot definitely be estimated. Wellington, July 6. Intelligence has been received here that the flood m the Grey river is very terious. Before telegraphic commun : cation was m terrupted this morning the water had risen 8 inches over tbe wharf, and m the post office, which stands on lower ground, it was 18 inches deep. It was feared that a break would occur m the bank opposite Gilmer's Hotel, m which case the result would be disastrous. Chbistchubch, Jaly 6 There Is a heavy flood io the Waimakirlrl, the water overflowing the protective works »t Xalapol m many places. The Woollen Factory has stopped work. Not much damage has been done up to the preient; Gbkywouth, July 5 The liver is m roaring flood, the water being within a couple of feet of the top of tbe wharf, while the lagoon water is being backed up iato the lower part of the town." The Grey-Reefton road between Brcnnerton and Still water is impassable, owing to numerous slips, bringing down mad, trees, and stones. The up-country .coaches could not leave Brunnerton to night, slips being reported til tbe way to Kelson creek. A great deal of railway formation has been carried away by the *ain.~ . :-,.... Latbb. A telegram is just m from Ahaura, which states that it h&B been raining iteadUy all day up country, and there is every prospect of a high flood. It is still raining heavily In town, and there is erery prospect ef It continuing all night.