FAMILIES LEAVE HOMES BY BOAT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 191, 9 May 1940, Page 11

FAMILIES LEAVE HOMES BY BOAT

Dominion Special. Service. DUNEDIN, May 8. Cine of the worst Hoods in the history of the Taieri district has caused crippling loss to many fanners on these fertile plains and threatens to sweep away the results of a year’s hard effort for many others. . . . The rain'has inundated not acres but square miles ot farming country adjacent to Dunedin and created a scene of desolation which has to be seen to be believed. For 20 miles there was not a square yard of dry land to be seen this afternoon. In that watery waste it was impossible to estimate the stock losses 01 homes that virtually had been washed away. The rising tide this afternoon banked the flood waters on the Taieri higher and higher, but the incessant downpour, more relentless in the back country, raised possibilities at a late hour tonight that are incalculable. The actual material losses, to say nothing of winter feed destroyed, are inconsiderable when placed beside the devastation of rural homesteads, evacuated throughout the day, mostly by boat.

In the city itself, though the Leith is still running high, there is no cause for auxiety. All exits from Dunediu by road and rail, except those to the north, were, however, blocked today, and there are reports of flooding from many country districts. Late this afternoon boats were conveyed to the flooded areas by motorlorry, and 20 men, with specially equipped ambulances, stood by to assist in the evacuation of marooned settlers and their families. The value of radio in the emergency was demonstrated in a manner which can be realized only by those who were able to profit by its warnings. Early in the day word was broadcast that the Taieri River at Middlemarch was higher than it had been for 20 years. This information was telephoned to Dunedili and given out over the air. As a result thousands of sheep and cattle were moved to higher country and inestimable" loss was avoided.

Nevertheless horses suffered severely in some areas, and hundreds of sheep have perished. Cattle, on the other hand, ai>pear to have fared much better.

' South and West Taieri have suffered most from the flooding, and settlers are convinced that it is the worst visitation of the kind the district has ever known.

At Otokia Bridge the river has risen 14ft. 9in„ which is higher than in the last big flood in 1923, Road traffic south is impossible, and the township of Henley is completely marooned from north and south. The full extent of the devastation cannot be known for several days, as it is impossible to approach nearer than five or six miles to the parts most severely affected, and, therefore, impossible at present to obtain any accurate details of the damage. Waitahuna Township. For the second time since’rain began at the weekend serious flooding has occurred in Waitahuna township, and last night the rapid rise of the _ river prepared residents for a repetition of Monday night’s unenviable experience, when many people had to leave their homes. Throughout yesterday shopkeepers and those residents whose premises had been invaded had the unpleasant task of cleaning silt deposits, but they might well have saved themselves the trouble, for this morning water was again running through some of the shops and houses attached, while the rapid rise of the river threatened more extensive flooding.

At midday it was still raining at Waitahuna, and at that time water to a deph of 4ft covered the road. General evacuation of shops and houses in the low-lying area was proceeding. A boarding-house, which is situated near the river bridge, had a deposit of three inches of silt throughout yesterday, and he bulk of this had barely been removed when the river again took possession, necessitating hasty evacuation last night. An empty house on the other side of the river has now been placed at the convenience of occupiers. The whole of the surrounding countryside is now well under water, and it is feared that there have been fairly substantial stock losses. A number of sheep, which were sheltering under a mound on one farm, were entrapped as the water rose and were carried away. Rescue of Stock.

The services of a grader have been employed to rescue pigs, sheep, and cattle in danger of drowning. Other country districts have also fared badly. Heavy, and at times torrential rain, which has been falling for days in the Upper Taieri district, has resulted in the most severe flooding ever known in the Styx district, where all low-lying territory is well submerged. Considerable stock losses are feared. Water covers the roads on the Maniototo Plain in many parts, and at the worst point, between Styx and Ranfurly, there is at least five feet, and there is little possibility of the water receding for some time. With the rapid rising of the Shag River, considerable flooding has occurred in tlie Bushey region. Just north of Palmerston water was pouring across the Main North Road, but at noon the highway was still negotiable. Through the rapid rise of the flood

waters near Dunback, the main entry to Maniototo Plain was blocked today. All creeks coming from the surrounding hills are in high flood, and no flat land has escaped. At Dunback, where there is a fair extent of level country, flood waters have backed up to a considerable depth. In the city no additional anxiety has been caused through the continuation of the rain, which today was mainly drizzle. All exits from the city except to the north ■were blocked today. No work was done on the waterfront, however, aud coastal shipping has been further delayed.