TERRIBLE FLOODS ON TILE DIGGINGS, GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 136, 21 August 1863, Page 3

TERRIBLE FLOODS ON TILE DIGGINGS, GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

[From the correspondent of The Pres.?.] Dunedin, 6th August. • Foil the past ten days the intelligence from the gold-fields has been one continued tale of disaster. On the Mblyneux, Kawarau, Manuherika, Arrow, and Shotovcr rivers there have been most fearful floods exceeding anything of the kind ever remembered in the province.' The numerous workings on the MAlyneux arid its tributaries were almost obliterated ; tents,'tools, and also in some instances, meit being swept away by the sudden impetuous torrent. The river rose 18 feet in less than three hours, se some idea may be gathered of the short notice given to the miners living on the banks. Stores were washed bodily away, the destruction of property was something immense. Dnt by far the most serious results have occurred in the Lake Wakatipu district, the loss of life being estimated at forty or fifty. In one instance thirteen men were killed from a landslip owing to the bursting of a dam. This terrible accident occurred at a place called the Sandhills near Maori point on the Shotover, on the 26th of July. It appears that on the occasion of the last flood,about a fortnight previous, a slip had taken place into a gully or water course running into the Shotover, damming up the water, which swollen to a great extent by .The rain, forced away the earth, and the whole mass gave way, utterly overwhelming the huts and their unfortunate inmates below. This occurred at ten o’clock in the morning. At the Arrow the river rose so rapidly as to cause a general exodus of the inhabitants from the lower township. The Shamrock Hotel and several stores were swept away. At the Rush creek three men, sawyers, lost their lives the creekjhaving risen and flooded their stack of sawn timber and logs, which being borne down by the roaring flood killed the men, and severely injured the others. The rain which fell uninterruptedly for two days, is described as coming down like a sheet of water. Lightning and heavy thunder prevailed, and a shock of earthquake was felt at the Shotover. The water of Lake Wakatipu rose ten inches in twenty minutes and speedily reached such a height as to cause the inhabitants to remove their goods and chattels to high ground. A singular, and what may turn out to be a valuable result of these immense falls of rain has been the bringing down from the mountains and ranges fresh auriferous deposits. In many places near the Shotover the gold could be seen on the surface of the hill side, and there are Well-authen-ticated cases of valuable and extensive auriferous deposits being found which before the flood had no existence.