TOWNSHIPS ISOLATED

Chronicle (Levin), 25 September 1946, Page 6

TOWNSHIPS ISOLATED

NEW PLVMOl.'TIl, Hept. 24. The townships of Mangapehi aud Benneydale were virtually isolated late lonight as the result of raihvay and road slips and washouts caused by torrential rain e.xperieneed in tlie Iving Country in tlie pust 30 hours. With tlie exception of a litfcle used lmsli road that connects with the Tanmarunui-Te Kuiti iiialn highway, all access roads to Benneydale and Mangupehi were e.losed toniglit. This road, too, was flooded | today, but oue bus nianaged to i ueguliate it aud it is hoped the jlood

waters will liavd receded suhieiently to' allow traflic to use tlie road tomorrow. Tlie Waimiha-Paro-o-Tarao road was conipletely washed out for a chain and the maia highway from Mangapehi to Te Kuiti was bloeked by a slip. Bulldoxers cleared a wav through but further slips fell near Kopaki toniglit, conipletely blocking the road. • Kesidents of Mangapehi wero disturbed by loud rumblings early this moruing and iuvcstigations revealed tliat a huge slip had fallen at tlie back of tlie township, narrowly missing liomes. Only tlie defleetion of the slip by a heavy wai! prevented it from crashing into the side of a house. Pairly scvere ilooding of the Ohura river was reported toniglit. Tlie luain road coiinecting New Plymouth with Ohura aud .Taumarunui was submerged in several places and it was expectad tlie road would be unpassable by tomorrow moruing. Both the Wanganui and Ongarue rivers were far above their norma! level at Taumarunui toniglit. A mechanieal navvy used for seooping giavel from 1 Ihe stream bed near Taringamhtu was conipletely eovered by iiood water, only tlie top of tlie 20-foot boom being visible.