WATER SPOUT BURSTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1320, 26 December 1911, Page 4

WATER SPOUT BURSTS.

ALARMING TIME AT DUNEDIN. IBt Telecrapta.— Press Association.) Duncdin, December 24, Residents on tho flat in Woodhaugh rrnd North-East Valley had a most alarming experience yesterday afternoon. At first it was surmised lhat the reservoir hail burst, but it is now considered that tho flood was duo to the bursting of a. water-spoilt on Hie hill between the Leitu Valley and Mount Oargill. At 2 p.m. the ]>ilh" was running about the some as usual, but an hour later (ho water urns running down tho streets to a depth of throe or four feet liko a mill wee. The rush of tho waters ivas so sudden that residents had no time to prepare, and they had to mako a liurrici! exit from their homes. In some oates women had to be rescued in traps. So for as is known at present three horses , wore drowned. ' A mail cart was washed away and badly smashed, but the horse was rescued. Tons of now potatoes, cabbages, and trees wero washed awny, and in tho lower part.s of the Botanical Gardens the flowers arc buried in mud. A visit to tho scene to-day revealed a deplorable state of affairs. In many houses the water lias been up to a level higher than tho bods and tho deposits of mud must mean heavy losses as the result of damage to carpets, curtains, blankets, etc. For eome hours citizens in the localities concerned had a very anxious Hrac, and it was nnl till 7 or 8 p.m. that tho watcrs-'feccdcd sufficiently" to warrant tho belief that the danger was past... Several ]x>ople are not yot inrare uf tho loss they havo suffered as they arc away for the holiday-.