FLOOD AT GREYMOUTH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2333, 15 December 1914, Page 6

FLOOD AT GREYMOUTH

ONE OF THE HEAVIEST ON RECORD SIX FEET OF WATER IN MAWHERA QUAY (By Toleirarh—Press Association.) ' Croymouth, December 14. Greymouth had a rare mid-summer experience last night, when one-of the heaviest floods on record deluged tho town. Tho river on Sunday morning was little more than normal, several steamers having departed and entered on tho morning tide, but during the day it gradually rose until at 6 o'clock, when the firobells gave the alarm, tho river was a raging torrent running bank high. At 7.30 the water began to trickle ovor the lower end of the wharf, until at 9 o'clock the whole wharf was awash, and the town was flooded to tho depth of 6ft. in Mawhcra Quay. ' Such a flood wbb scarcely expected, as tho previous rain was not heavy, and only lasted twenty hours, but the downfall was heavy in tho country, and melted the snow. Tho water rose with extraordinary rapidity. By 10 o'clock the business portion and low-lying residential areas were under water. There were wash-outs on the railway line at' M'awheraiti, Ikamatua,. Totara Flat, and Ngahere. At one place two miles of line were under Water. The trains on the Blackball branch,were suspended, seven chains of line being swept away. . This will stop the export of coal from Blackball for some days. The Otira' lino was only slightly damaged. Settlers lost heavily in regard to'live stock.-- • The front street of the town to-day is like a gravel-pit. . All the railway ballast from tho wharf .line was washed into it, whilst Boundary Street presents nothing so muoh as a huge tailings site. 'Business, people were astir, and all goods were placed counter-high. Notwithstanding, a good deal of damage was done by water, and silt and through broken windows. Shipping'masters'and crews have had a trying time. . ' < The waters receded about_3 o clock this morning, and the town is fast returning to its normal appearance. . Later.

The damage to the Blackball Tailway is not so extensive as was at first thought, and will be repaired in a couple of days. Settlers have suffered heavy loss of stock, but the damage is small considering, it was .a record flood. POSITION AT WESTPORT. Westport, December 14. Heavy rain fell on Saturday night and Sunday, and all rivers are in high flood. .The main Westpbrt-Reefton and Westport-Murchison Road has been damaged by slips,'and motor traffic has been' suspended. .The Bullet; River., is still high. There were no shipping movements on Sunday .or to-day: . ■.■' '-. ' HEAVY FLOODS IN REEFTON. •k ; . Reefton, December 14. Heavy floods yesterday did a good deal:of damage; A slip at Big River mine crushed into; the crashing.down.-"the roof and causing a good deal of loss.". Bridges over the Big. .Grey ivererwashed away, and several email bridgesvdaniaged. WAIRAU RIVER IN FLOOD. ■".., Blenheim, December 14. 'Floods in the'Wairau River.lasf night damaged a number of crops jn the Spring Creek and Tua Marina districts. Trie inundation is confined to a limited area;. A number of stock were lost.

FLOOD IN GREYTOWN (By Tcloeraph.—Special Correspondent.) Greytown, December 14. • The most severe flood for, many years %as experienced here on Sunday-night. Rain started, on Sunday, and gradually increased as.evening set in, until it was a downpour.; ; The rain being' warm, brought the snow down from the mountains, and caused a flood. -The water overflowed the Waiohine banks in a number oft places.'-right from. Woodside. at the water overseer's cottage, and great logs of .wood ; surrounded the house, being floated down by the river. At Alatarawa bridge the water came over and .went through AViggins's property and ' down towards • Grcytown North, just, touching tho township. From 'there northwards as far as Waiohine bridge the, land 'was more or less inundatedT The Chinaman's sgardens and Ma'cFarlane's orchard were under water. The i main road has been strippedl of tons of; metal, and Feasts' and Williams's prperty was inundated; .the water being within 3 inches of the floor of Mr:. Williams',? house. 1 A number of crops are somewhat damaged in the area affected.•■'. Fences are-down in many, directions, and the' timber used in building the'now concrete. bridge across the/Waiohine has all been carried away. .damage done generally, it is estimated that the silt from the flpbd_has enhanced the value .of tne surrounding country to at least £1 per acre. Yesterday morning the river was down considerably, and the debris'could:be'seeri-against the fences and on the'top side.of the roads, etc. Five years, 'ago a severe flood was experienced here,.but'it was not nearly so severe as the. present, one; 'Many years ago a channel was cut on the east side of Nortli.Greytown to carry off flood water, but "the : river was diverted I and' the water channel' was not used.. However, it served,a useful purpose on Sunday night, and greatly relieved tho 'congested area.:.'