SOUTHLAND FLOODS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 35, 25 February 1937, Page 10

SOUTHLAND FLOODS

PTes" Aseocm t.ion

Main Highway Impassahie to Motorists PERSISTENT RAINFALL

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INVERCARGILL, Last Night. Considerable iiooding has occurred throughout the province as a result of two days oi light, though -persistent, rain. For the 36 hours from nine o'clock yesterday morning till to-night, over an iuch and a-half of rain haB fallen, bringing the total faH for the month to double the average r for February. The main Invercargill-Dunedin highway is impassable at McNab and > Pukerau and to-day motorists had to make a detour through Willowbank ' and Waikoikoi. The Invercargill-Kingston road is .blocked between Nokomai and Athol and water is over the road at Mandeville on the Gore-Lumsden road.It was reported this evening that the iflood waters at Athol were receding ;and that traffic would be able to get through in the morning. All rivers are running high and it is i expected that other roads will be imipassable in the morning. , Passengers travelling on the southibound express to-night had a little adventure in passing through the flooded , area near Gore. As the line was tmder water in several places between McNab iand Gore, it was thought inadvisable to take the .train through this portion. . The train was held up at Clinton for : over an hour until it was decided to • bring it to McNab and transfer the passengers to road transport for the :few miles to Gore. A bus was hired by !'the department to take the passengers through a stretch of water two feet : deep, lying between . McNab railway 'station and the Main road. They then entered taxis which took them to Gore, where a relief train was waiting. Had the road been blocked south of McNab instead of north, the passengers wohld , probably not have got through to -Invercargill to-night. As; it is they will arrive nearly four hours late as the relief train is not expected to^leav© Gore till 11.30 and will not .be here till af-ter 12.30.