WORST FLOOD IN 24 YEARS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 36, 26 February 1937, Page 13

WORST FLOOD IN 24 YEARS

-•Presi Aaaoaifttion.l

V/aters Invade Southland Town FARMS LIKE LAKES

(B» Ttlearaoh-

INVEECARGILL, Last' Night. The »ost serious flood since ihej | ATatJaura xiver broke its banks in 1913, j oecurjred at Wyndham to-day. When! 1 residents awoke this morning the re-; 1 liieation ground ahd bowling green at! j the north end of the town were inun- ' dated to a depth of .two and a-half feet ■ La places. By ten o'olock several of ; the reaidents in that part of the tpwn had to ie^ve and others who were in the path of the food waters began to jnovg their belongings to safety. .Thq flood watgrs moved dqwn Ferry street and crqssing Main street, flowed intq Alma street. The llataura and Mimihau rivers contiuued to rise and water* wa» loroed doera Redan etreet and into the main thoroughfare, By thxee o'ciook the ' gqgt offlce W3S surrounded by two feet "six inehes of water and both Main ' stTISt and Bedan street. resem^led oanals. . Business people, alarmed by the in; vadjng w^ters, begqn mqving goods to plaqes of safety. A# it W»s sale day, ther§ wag a crqwd of fanners in town, bqt mW hurried away »P. early as' ppssihie in case they would he unable tQ do eo later. The Toad to Glenham wa? impassablo and Ferry road was aho floqded. Mr 8, Glarke's farm was ipundated and 'soon had the appqarance qf a lake, Several other farms qlqse to the Mataura riyar w,ere also flooded and Stoqkf of oatS wqre to be seen floating: away on the tnrbulent flood waters. Af four o'clock this afternopn thq; flood reached it§ peak withoqt the! wator sntoriig hnsiness premises.