RAIN CLEARS AND FLOODED RIVERS FALL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 15 May 1961, Page 10

RAIN CLEARS AND FLOODED RIVERS FALL

Skies were clearing over Canterbury yesterday, rivers throughout the province were falling from flood levels, and a promise of better weather came from the Weather Office, but road and rail traffic is still upset in some areas after heavy rain late last week. Early last evening the chief engineer of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr H. M. Reid) said: “The rivers are fast going back to their normal levels.” He had received no reports yesterday of rain in the hill country. “As far as I am concerned no news is good news,” he said. The rivers were not yet low enough to inspect, but he was certain that flood damage would be found, he added. Forecast Slightly better weather, with showers becoming fewer and fair Intervals, are likely today. according to the Weather Office at the Christchurch airport. In the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday .12in of rain was recorded at the airport, while .09in fell in Christchurch. Heavy rain in North Canterbury and Marlborough since Friday had caused surface flooding and disrupted rail services between Christchurch and Kaikoura, a Railways Department train control official said yesterday afternoon. There had been “quite a number” of slips and washouts between Parnassus, south of Kaikoura. and Ward, north of the town. The railways spokesman said a slip between Claverley and Oaro was “more like a landslide than a slip.” He said it was 18ft to 20ft deep. All trains north from Rangiora had been cancelled until further notice, he said. Workmen would leave Waipara at daylight today to clear the slip. Ashley Damage Railway gangs worked al! yesterday to repair flood damage to the Ashley river bridge, just north of Rangiora, but it is not expected to be open before noon today. Repair work on the bridge will continue from daylight today. Services to Blenheim and Picton have been cancelled, and the rail-car to Picton scheduled to leave Christchurch at 9.15 a.m. today will not run. Air services from the Christchurch airport were running to schedule yesterday, a National Airways Corporation spokesman said yesterday.

“Wellington was closed from 2.30 p.m. until 3.2 p.m., but we have had no upsets here so far,” he said. Slips on Hundalee The Automobile Association (Canterbury) reported last evening that the Mam North road was blocked by slips on the Hundalee. It was unlikely to be open again for about two days. Motorists going north should detour through Culverden and Waiau on the inland road to Kaikoura. The highway from Kaikoura to Blenheim is again open, but the A.A.C. warned motorists not to drive after dark because of the risk of further slips. Both highways to the West Coast—through Otira and the Lewis Pass—were again open for traffic, the A.A.C. spokesman said.

The continuous heavy rain which had prevailed over Ashburton county since Friday eased yesterday and the sun made its first brief appearances in three days. Bridges Damaged The approaches to the Tramway bridge, over Boyers stream, and the Mount Somers bridge, over the south branch of the Ashburton river, which were washed away at the height of the floods on Friday night, will be repaired by the Ashburton County Council as soon as possible. Temporary repairs will be made today to the Mount Somers bridge. Rivers in the county were dropping back to normal yesterday as the rain eased in the high country. Surface flooding in paddocks and on certain sections of the county roads had also disappeared. Since the rain began, a fall of nearly 6in has been recorded in some areas.