FLOOD DAMAGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 July 1925, Page 3

FLOOD DAMAGE.

FLOOD REPORTS. [JIY TRI.KGItAI'JI —I'ER I*ll KSS ASSOCIATION. CIIRI.STH FRCII, duly 3. The road to Little River is practieally under water all the way from llal.swell. Halswell river is in the heaviest flood known for twenty years. From there to Afotukarara. only the crown of the road is visible. At Motukarara the water is right across the road axle-deep. This state continues for some distance. Beyond Birdlings Flat, there are four or five feet of water over the road. To-day two motor cars were submerged in the flood, the hood of one just showing above the water. The scene was that of a. great sea of.water extending lor < miles in all directions. This morning Lake Forsyth was let out, and it is anticipated that the wa- i ter will have cleared away in two or throe days. Fears are entertained, however, of ’ another south-west blow, which would have the effect of bringing the waters of Lake Ellesmere across. < Apart from the flooding, there are i seven slips between Birdlings I‘lat and t Little River. ! ASHBURTON, duly 3. No serious damage done or loss of . stock by the fluid lias been reported. | Although the main South road has been , declared (dosed, one or two motors Ira- | versed the danger area siilelv this al- . ter noon, and passengers between Ash- ( burton and Timvald were conveyed , across by carts, which went in axle deep. The water lias started wearing away the metal, and a. serious scour is feared, hut reports from the high country state that the river is now , falling. 1

FLOOR, Tin? floods River is still rrUPSnd to-night ivns onlv about teujMT.es from the top of fiercer wharf. 'l’he river was expected to rise still farther. Water is now flowing direct from the river into the railway s>4ion yard, and is only sixinches' helo'tr the platform. The mam line is under water for almost the whole length of the station. The road between Ohinewai and Hanciriri is completely submerged for a mile and a half. WHAK.ATAXE, .filly 3. The weather has turned very cold, and light rain is falling. CURISTCFIURCTT, July 3. The areas of Cantcrhury which were flooded were increased hv yesterday’s warm wind, causing a sudden melting of the snow, which has fallen in the past few days. '['his afternoon advice was received that Lake Forsyth was being let out. so that each hour will improve the po-

sition. At Little River, parts of which have lieen under four feet of water, railway traffic on the Midland and Southbridge lines has been interrupted, and vehicular traffic by road to many parts of Canterbury is quite out of question. Luckily tlie Waimakiriri River lias not broken its banks at any place, but the overflowing of the Eyre has been the cause of most of the damage north of Christchurch. Many bridges or their approaches have been swept away, isolating some sections ol t farming community. The winter-sown wheat crops in tin Ashburton district have been water swept, and it is feared much stock lias been lost. A warm wind still prevails to-day and not much additional ram has fallen.