HEAVY FLOOD AT OPOTIKI

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 173, 11 April 1918, Page 4

HEAVY FLOOD AT OPOTIKI

SIX FEET OF WATER IN BUSINESS' AREA. Tlie Secretary of the General Post Of-' flee received the following telegrams yesterday:— From the Postmaster, Opotiki.—"Ex-\ traordinary heavy flood at Opotiki. Sir. 1 feet of water in highest part of business area. No loss of Info so far." From the Superintendent, Telegraph'; Office, Auckland.—"Postmaster, "WW katane, telegraphs that postmaster, \ Opotiki, reports town flooded through heavy rainfall and flooded rivers. All traffic suspended Water over counters in shops, and lias reached ground 1 .: floor of post office. Roads blocked;;! traffic suspended. Telegraphic com-' munication interrupted; WhakataiiS' can get Opotiki over a faulty telephone circuit." ENORMOUS DAMAGE DONE. By Tclegrap'j.--P-r>c? Association. Opotiki, April 10. Opotiki has been inundated since, early tliis morning. The town is under from three to four feet of water. Therehave been many narrow escapes. Rescue parties have been working all day,, with horses and boats. Enormous, damage has been done to business premises, and stacks, and there have been heavy losses of live stock. The rain still continues. HEAVY RAIN AT WHAKATANI By Telegraph-Press Association. ' Wlmliatanc, April 10. There was a rainfall of 6.7 inches at Whakatane during the twenty-four hours ended at D o'clock this morning, nearly all of it being precipitatedduring the night. The rivers;are running bank high, and the low-lying areas adjacent to tho river banks are flooded. No damage has been reported. Road communication between Taneatua, AVaimana, and Opotiki is interrupted. Telegrapii connection with Opotiki is interrupted, and the telephone wire is reserved for telegrams. The. congestion is causing considerable delays.