FLOOD DAMAGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1924, Page 1

FLOOD DAMAGE.

RIVERS FALLING. BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. NAPIER, Match IT Comparatively little rain lias fallen since daybreak, and the flood waters have rapidly subsided, though, of eour.se, there is still a considerable volume in the lowlands. t)n every hand a scene of desolation meets the eye. The rivers are carrying enormous quantities of drift wood, dead stock, etc., down to the sea. Fences are everywhere broken down, and the properties generally m durndnle are in a deplorable state. The damage to crops is extensive and complete. The stock losses are vei'v heavy, but it is not possible to get ailv estimate of the numbers. There is a good deal of damage to various bridges, many of which are blocked with debris.

Pnkowhnj. between Tnradale and Hastings is still inaccessible from this end. The damage and loss of stock there are very heavy.

Donald Straohan. who took refuge yesterday in a poplar tree, was rescued at two o’clock this morning by a youth, the son of Mr I Y. Kinross White, who performed quite a remarkable feat. 11l pitch darkness, he swam a horse through the surging waters of the river, ill which small heats could not live, and lie readied the tree, where Straohan was in almost an exhausted state. The man v. as put in the saddle by AVliito, who then attached himself to the horse’ tail, and ordered the trusty animal to set out again for dry land, which was made ill safety. A'oiing White's eflort is deserving of the highest praise.

Slips and washouts on the roads in various parts of the district are numerous and varied in size. Many small bridges have been carried away. Some of the larger ones are considerably damaged and are now unsafe. Revo m 1 IVtono the reads are quite impassable. At least two bridges on the Taupo Road have gone. A FATA 1. IT Y. The body of the bahv girl buried in the house on Shakespeare Road, Napier, yesterday, was recovered this morning. Further falls there during the night wrecked a second home completely. Numerous other slips occurred at Napier Hills, in one instance the hack door of a house was blocked, and ill another ease a concrete wall collapsed, let ling water from the hillside ami a quantity of earth into the kitchen of a house, where holes had been bored in the tloor, to let the water away. The silt about the town streets will take a great deal of work to clear away. WANGANUI FLOODED. WANG ANTI. March I'd. Floods in AVanganui River wrecked the bridge at Kangharoa. connecting Wanganui and Itangilikei Counties, and also a massive concrete centre pier and a new bridge being erected near

The contractor has suffered a severe loss, including Id.(!,'>'.) feel id sLaging. the fruit of a year's work db appearing m a ft ■*\ minutes. Anxiety was felt for the railway bridge across the river lower down, hut t lie structure success - 1 11 1!I'-od th" severe strain of the nc •■'itn'ilet ip a '■( Hi ilt tiinhet. The lined •a a tens ere now receding The tire engine was requisitioned to pump water from the collars iti town, and at the |r rt. Hobjohns. liindniarxli and Co., v. lio-e cellar, containing large (plant ities of groceries, was Hooded yesterday, estimate their 10.-s a : ihi co i honsaml. Work on tin- v. a t erftanit R ( oinpletetiiifortuiinte lime, just- v.icn a very bu-.v period w.-i- being experienced. The sea imrea-ed coll- tdernl.’y today. making it quite itnnc-Hhle to work the four Home l.ipers in Use Ray. Two steamer- at the Breakwater put- out into the Bay for sal civ, at nnehoruge range, the wharves bmnv "'■usidered dangerous. One of the Home boats, th-' Devon, put right out to sea. and wirelessed to he informed when the Cai' i- safe lor wot king. ’I he whole of the con Till Heel- nniain at their berths in the inner harbour. All the telegraph wires from Napier |.n i 1 i«t*.»ntr.'i aro ilriVii. wiii' ii MK'Mih m» <■, -aut‘M its**. Im.'lcon lu ro M'd (» L ll i it i-s Imped, midor t hr* mo.-t favauv-

niuni"atiou to-morrow alternoon. Ihe line-; to Taupe are abu interrupted between To I’nhiie and Eskdale. where the conditions are particularly laid. The service between Napier and Hastings also was broken, hut has been re-tired. Communication with the south is fairly dillieull.

Two wash-outs cm the railway in the vi,unite of AY ait a nei. and Clive, and damage to the AYakatu .Rridgc, which has a pronounced kink, caused the

this afternoon. The mail train tinmorning for Wellington lett from Hastings only a tew getting through he car from Napier, and no mails. Repair gangs were out all day. and ellceted repairs sufficiently to allow I rains to cross slowly and-the up mail was able to get. right in to Napier . tins evening. The service will he normal to-morrow. A report, late to-night states that it will !>■ fully a month before the road is clear to AYairoa. In places near Tongoro tlie road lias entirely disappeared. whilst there are hundreds of slips varying in size. The rivers are now rapidly falling, and apparently there will he no futllier damage unless there is more heavy rain. AYEDLINGTON REPORT. AYKIXINGTON. March 12. No serious damage by Hoods is reported locally, hut several wash-outs have taken place. Some of the roads are almost impassable. Alanv vessels have not reported, hut it is believed that all are safe, and are sheltering. Tlegrnph communication is interrupted in several districts. The gale is abating. The rain ha? ceased here. STORM AT GISBORNE. GISBORNE. March 12. A tierce southerly storm ha« raged through the night and several shop fronts were blown in. A good deal of damage was done to various establishments through storm water. Fite inches of rainfall were registered at Gisborne, and 6.-23 at AA aihau. The Tolago Rav rivers are flooded and a heavy sea is running. The telegraphic service has been cut off vesterdav and to-day.