THE FLOODS ON THE WEST COAST.

Evening Star, Issue 2810, 19 February 1872, Page 2

THE FLOODS ON THE WEST COAST.

The following extracts from the Grey Hirer Argus of Saturday last will give some idea of the damage done by the late floods at the Grey : From Johnston street seaward the entii e line of buildings fronting the river has disappeared, and the buildings immediately behind the front row, including Strike and Blackmore’s brewery, are left in a situation of considerable danger on the occasion of any future floods. With the buildings went the protective works, and the lower part ! bf the town presents a sorry spectacle. As if the flood were not a sufficiently serious disaster of itself, a fire broke out among the same block, and although it fortunately did not spread, there was seen the rare sight of burning buildipgs tumbling into the turbid waters and floating out to sfea. And fire was not the only companion of the flood, Fears are entertained that it was accompanied by loss of life, but there is no definite knowledge of more than a fatal accident. From a house which floated away, containing one entire family, one young person, a son of William Dale was washed away by the flood and drowned, the other members of the family narrowly escaping a similar fate .... , , , The rain resulting! in this heavy flood began to fall op Wednesday, and during all that night it fell so constantly that many feared the occurrence of an unusual fresh, but nothing more. Expectations was excited as the rain continued throughout Thursday, but the suddepness and extent of the flood exceeded all expectations. Towards afteri noon the waters rose rapidly, and some time before dusk they had overflown the protective works, and were streaming into the back parts of the town by all the cross streets. Before this time precautions had been taken by the Mayor and others to warn the inhabitants of all the low-lying parts; §,ud to pemove all families who desired to he reproved, Towards? xfosk {he* number of emigrants from these parts increased, apd all the principle hotels became crowded with family groups and their household goods. As the rivers reached the level of the protection works, and streamed along the streets, storekeepers busied themselves in erecting ingeniously contrived barricades at their front doom, and these were for a time serviceable in preventing the influx of the muddy water until goods were raised from the floors, but subsequently all buildings were more or less flooded, and householders and storekeepers patiently waited, knee-deep in the water, for the subifldence of the flood. * * * The tt> pvhpvfty was tif§t most iiuuiepscat toil

o’clock on Thursday night, and the locality where the danger was concentrated "’as between Boundary street and the t.uropean Hotel. Hot only were the protective works at this point most insecure, hut an immense gathering of snags and of timber intended for the repair of the works accumulated in front of the houses, and began to act as battering rams against the flimsy fronts Even at that Lour the appearances here were really alarming, the creaking of the houses, and the collapse of verandahs, indicating the immense pressure before winch the buildings ultimately succumbed, indicative of danger as the appearances were, most people continued to occupy their houses, though warning had been given, and boats engaged for their removal, and the wonder is that, when the crash came several lives were not lost. As it was, there were some marrow escapes, and a few persons were in very critical positions before they were saved by boats. There is a story of one man having been seen on the roof of a bouse, as it was washed out to sea, bub there is no certainly that such was the ease It is true that Mr George Saddler, of the Rectton express, floated down the stream for some distance on one of the buildings, but, at some risk, ho rea hed the shore. J ortunately the floating away of the houses did not occur till daylight, otherwise the loss of property could scarcely have failed to have been accompanied by considerable loss of life.

The full account of the flood and its consequences occupies four columns of the Grey hirer Argus. Up country, too, the flood is described as having been something tremendous. Our contemporary says The rivers and creeks began to rise above the level of ordinary floods at mid-day on Thursday, and by dark the Ahaura was higher than it was over known to be. The oldest and highest flood marks were washed away, and the river was still rising when daylight disappeared. The Island near Ahaura, on which Mr George Gough’s new house is built, was under water, and for hours the people camped on it, as well as Mr Gough and his family at the ferry, were in great danger. The river broke through at Mr M‘Lean’s house, and rushed down the road towards the landing wi hj the rapidity of a mill-race. All the low lying country was submerged, and great fears are entertained for the safety of the Old Ahaura, the foot of Nelson Creek, Gamptown, and the Twelve-mile. The residents of Camptown Averc in an especially perilous position, because the Grey River has been continually eating in its way in that direction during all the late floods. The farmers would suffer greatly, as the harvest Avork Avas generally going on, and great quantities of produce Avere lying on the ground exposed to the soddening effects of the fearful downpepr o\. raifl. ‘ : Great danger is reported from Half-Ounce to flumes and water races, and from the swamping out of claims, One life has been lost at Duncr Creek from the effects of a landslip, and a serious accident happened at Noble's from a similar cause.