Heavy Floods.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 243, 16 April 1895, Page 2

Heavy Floods.

SERIOUS DAMAGE TO BRIDGES. The rain which commenced to fall i on Friday night last resulted'^ severe floods yesterday. At daylight yes- ' terday morning the town was flooded with water from the back country draining into the Makino stream, which contained more water than on any previous occasion. There was also more water about the streets and I it remained there longer than ever | before. In various portions of the Borough damage has been done to roads and private property. THE KIWITEA STREAM has done considerable damage to the ford on Kitnbolton road and the diversion ot the rood with the foot bridge has been completely washed away with about a couiue of acres of land. 'Ihe channel has shifted its course to a great extent. The Wner above the proposed site of the new bridge has been washed away and the current now takes astraighter course towards Mr Carr's property. The frontage to Mr Retemeyer's propercy, with that recently owned by Mr J. Norman has .suffered considerably. iNo traffic will be able lo crogj the Kiwiiea stream at this place until another ford has been made. THE UUIDGKS I.V TOWN have also suffered, the one at Warwick street being seriously damaged, and what is left of it is now practically high anil dry. On Monday morn- - ing the approach on the western side commenced to collapse, but later on the current set in on the eastern bank, and during the day it carried so much of this away that the temporary span to the bridge, which had been erected a few months since, completely disappeared. The whole current, about a chain in width, is now flowing between the original structure and tho eastern embankment. 'J he approach to the Manchester street bridge on the western sid i has been partially washed away, just sufficient being left to admit of traffic passing, 'i he approach to Scirh street bridge has beon slightly touched and the footbridges at Denbigh, Duke, and North Btreets ir3 down, while the fords h ye also been damaged. The approaches to the bridge near the Colyton creamery, at the foot ot the hill on Valley Koad, and on iieid's lii.c were washed away, as also were sundry culverts in different parts of the district. The greatest misfortune of all is the fact that the Manawatu Gorge road bridge has suffend — to spans Irom each end being carried away. The roads 1 eiween Fetlding; and Palmerston wera also flooded, old settlers staring they had never Been such high floods since they had been in the district. The train services both from north and south were interrupted owing- to damage to the line and people who had come to Feilding on a visit were unable to get away. On the Wang-a--nui section there was a break in the line at Swainsou's crossing and near K'lknrik-i on the north of Feilding, and to the south (nesir Bunnythorpe) i he metal was washed away tor about five chains. The railway through the (Jorge was blocked with slips, and on the Wellington-Manawatu Company's line there was a wash-out between Linton and Tokomara. THE RAINFALL, We are indebted to Mr J. H. Fry for the following : — My register of tho rainfall on Sunday 14th was l*o4in., Monday 15th 4 90in., making s*9oin. for the 48 hours from Saturday 7.30 a.m. to Monday 7.30 a.m., this is the heaviest rainfall I have registered here. From Mr S. Goodbehere we learn that the rainfall between Friday evening and 9 o'clock this morning was s£in. For the 24 hours ending 9 a.m. yesterday 3iin. fell, this being the heaviest which has yet been regiatered by Mr Goodbehere since he has resided in Feilding. (Per x J ress Association.) Palmebston N., This Day. The heavy fall of rain for the last three days caused floods all over ihe district, and considerable damage has been dona to roads, bridges, railways, and the telegraph lines. All railway and telegraph communication is interrupted between Paloierston and Woodville. Two spans of the Gorge road bridge, near Ashurst, hava been washed away, taking with them the telegraph wires. The Gorge railway is blocked with slips almost from end to end of the Gorge, besides several places being washed away. The railway line from Palmerston to Wanganui and Palmerston to Foston is washed away in several places. The approaches to FitzHerbert bridge, over the Mamwatu nver, is washed away, also several bridges and approaches in the FitzHerbert district. The country 18 flooded for miles. One contractor reports losing eight horses and his plant. Several residents both in town and country have had to leave their houses in order to escape the water. The floods are now going down. Most of the settlers removed their stock to places of safety. "Wellington, This Day.. The gale has abated. Nearly ten inches of rain has fallen. No one can re* member a storm so continuously severe for three days and nights for many years. Wellington seems to have been unlucky enough to be the very centre and focus of a storm which lasted longer here than anywhere else, and was accompanied by the heaviest fall of rain. The register shows 1025 in., while at Petone, 6 miles away, and fully exposed to the blast only 6 inches fell.