HEAVY RAIN IN THE SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 2, 27 September 1917, Page 4

HEAVY RAIN IN THE SOUTH

SERIOUS FLOODS FEARED.

By Telegraph—Press Association. , Gore, September 26. There was persistent heavy rain last night, and "intermittent lighter rain today. The Matanra Eiver and Qarston Head Eiver are three feet above normal, and were still rising at 5 o'clock, Ohero is snow on the high country- Uhe river at Gore is two feet above, normal, and rising slowly, but anything serious is not anticipated. The rain which commenced on Tuesday evening appears to have been general throughout South Otago and Southland, but was heaviest close to Dnnedm and in the high country, particularly about Central Otago. The rainfall at leith watershed was unusually heavy,' 3i inches being registered till 7 this evening., ;' Serious floods are apprehended m tie Taieri, although the' present conditions are not so serious as those prevailing in A verv serious position is threatened in'Otokia, in the Henley district. The river only requires to rise about nine inches to overflow the temporary bank, and as the tide will rise three feet before midnight danger is apprehended. The trouble is accentuated by the laien Eiver pouring in a large volume or water Throughout the Taieri district the Toads are submerged, bridge approaches have been -washed away, and communication coninletely cut oft. Between Jlbsgiel' and Outram, near Clarksville, the Main South Eoad is submerged to a'depth of four feet, and at Stirling a eaug of men has been engaged since eaflv morning repairing a breach caused bv the May flood in an endeavour to prevent a recurrence of the damage done on that occasion.' . , The Molvneaux Eiver, which has been nnusuallv high during the past few days owing to the melting snow in the lakes Strict, rose rapidly, and at 5 p.m. was 15 feet above normal. Eenorts from higher up the river state that; there have been very heavy rains, and the river is ranklly rising. Bale iitha is taW, but hopes are entertained that the fall "temperature will lessen the danger. Stock owners promptly removed stock {rom all the threatened land, ,and no losses are recorded. .\t 10 30 the rain was. still -falling lieavilv, and if general im country, the Taieri' and Tokomairiro Plains and the Clutha flat are likely to suffer severely.