TEMPORARY FLOODING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 70, Issue 91, 18 July 1944, Page 5

TEMPORARY FLOODING

RAPID RISE OF RIVERS

HEAVY RAIN IN BACK COUNTRY

Banked by abnormally high tides on Saturday and Sunday, the Whakatane and Rangitaiki rivers staged one of the most rapid rises in recenlt years. Heavy rain fell in the inland hills and as a result on Saturday evening the Taneatua road became temporarily impassable, whilst Station road was also swept by fast-moving flood' waters. Fears that the middle plains would be subjected to a third flooding were alleviated by the rapid subsidence of the level of the Rangitaiki where it had been running almost bank-high during the week-end.

The rain squalls which commenced on Friday afternoon raised a heavy easterly sea, which at high tide backed the rivers to such a dangerous degree that warning were sent out by radio to settlers on the Plains to be prepared to remove their stock to higher country. In Whakatane a total of 2.34 inches or rain fell but it is obvious from reports thai a much greater quantity fell inland. Waimana residents claim that the rain fell almost without interruption all Saturday night and lor the greater part of Sunday. As a result, the river became a raging Hood.

On Saturday night, long stretches of the Taneatua main highway were under water, but by Sunday aiternoon it had receded and it was evident that most of the Hooding was due to tidal effect and not to flood drainage. The Station road flood was likewise regulated in the same way, and after a swift rise the waters subsided with the same, suddenness. Large stretches of rwamp land adjacent to Whakatanc are still however Under water.

From Galatea came reports on Saturday that continuous heavy rain in that district bore prospects of a heavy flood on the Rangitaiki, unless the downpour ceased. Apparently the rain tailed otf soon after the report, but the swollen nature of the Rangitaiki bore eloquent testimony to the water which had fallen in the. highlands. All Sunday the river was bank-high. The greatest fears were entertained for the Edgecumbe River Bridge which was once again the target of heavy logs which, swept downstream with the current, stood the chance of carrying the. weakened structure away. Gangs of men were employed all the week-end in keeping the piles cleared. By yesterday the menace from this direction had been largely removed, thraigh the level of the river was well? 1 above normal.