HEAVY FLOOD

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1926, Page 2

HEAVY FLOOD

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE RE-

I’ORTED

A brief report was published yesler:!ay of serious flood damage in the Wiiitalui district.

Later, news came to hand ol a heavy Hood iii the Araliura Valley. The river was higher than it had been for years and overllowryd its hanks. All the paddock* were under water ami cows depastured were standing kuee-de.-p for some time. The iloocl broke portion of the upper protection wall, and tlie water invaded some of the settlers' homes. The iloocl waters were cm to the caps of the new bridge in course of erection at Palmer's Creek.

Some rather .serious damage was done to AlallToy’s bridge, spanning the Araliura river and used chiefly lor the milling trade of Malfrov and Coy. It appears a log train passed over the bridge shortly after mid-day and soon after the northern span was noticed to have a cant sideways. One or two piles of the pier are broken and the decking of the bridge is .some two feet below level. The pier and span were held mainly by a new pile put in -some little time ago to strengthen the bridgo following previous flood damage. Now that .sluicing has ceased at the Upper Arahura. it would appear the bed of the river is steadily scouring necessitating much huner piles to hold bridges spanning the river. Tn addition to the damaged span at the northern end. the river has scoured the north bank ("jnsiiV.wahiy also, eroding the hank some eight or ton feet, and completely destroying the protection work. The southern road approach to the bridge is hadlv scoured. also the Valley road for a mile in length. New piles will he required for the pier of the damaged span, the restoration of the protection work will cost about £KSO and road repairs fully Cl 00.

KOKATAHI VALLEY. The flood in the Kokatahi Valley was very high, some say the highest ini record, the water rising whet'.' it lias never ii-tii sc) high before. Flood waters are said to have invaded the n w ndd'Oßc of .Mrs Baird, near Halt (Tech. Mr G. Morris had a trying experience, the whole of his .-eclioii b-. iog inundated. Ad his crops and gardens were destroyed, and tile land strewn with floating timber. Both Mr and Mrs .Morris had to m Ice their escape from their home as best they could, the water being in the' house. In iro -ing the n.tddock* to safety the water was often up in their .-boulders. Tlie experience was a very trying one, and the damage sustained by ibis hard working settler is very heavy.

No serious road damage from the Kokatahi district is reported as yet. Two bridges were washed out on the Christchurch road, I.locking motor traffic to (Mira yesterday. OTIHA LINE DAMAGE. The heavy rainfall in the .M.oana and Hotomanu districts on Monday night and dating yesterday, resulted in extensive wash-outs oil the Midland Kino on t-'ie section between Hotomanu and I'e Kinga. with tlie result that all railway traHie was yesterday disorganised. I'lie wash-out occurred in the morning, and 11 Gi'cymouth-Christihu.rch express which wa- despatched at the

usual time was unable to proceed bcvoml .Montia. About lit) passengers were travelling on the train, which remained at Moana lor some time in the hope that it miight lie possible to tranship to the eastern express, but ;nv esiiga 1 ions showed that besides the wa-ii-oiits on the line about one mile d the road which would have to lie t raver-ei! was under water. Il was

therefore decided to return to Grey mouth, the t rain arriving there at 3..‘£

liepnri. from the alfected section: talc that several wash-outs have onurn'<l in a distance of about a mile. I r i mo- t serious thing being about tit

•umls in length. No definite advice a.to the number of wash-outs. or their "Xtiui! . was available last night, hut the Railway Department anticipate that the work of repair will lie completed 1 1 v noon to-day. A relief train with all the available ballast gangs and surfacemen was despatched to the scene of the damage at 4.30 p.m. yesterday and the work of repair was continued throughout the night. The passengers who returned to the Greymouth end yesterday afternoon, stated that they experienced no discomfort "beyond the long nail at- .Moana, while the officials were inspecting the damage to the tine. They were

naturally disappointed in being forced to abandon their journey. <>m> Grey. month resident, who bad left on a trip to ALllumi'iie, has mis*cd hi* ship al "Wellington through the delay. ,Severn.;' newly-married couples who 'had departed at half past leu. returned live hours later to the spot on which confetti marked the scene ol their farewell.

The west-bound express from Christchurch proceeded as far as Olira. and then returned to Christchurch, the passengers having the option of remaining at Otirn for the night and taking their chance of getting through this morning. or returning with the train. It is understood that the majority of the travellers adopted the latter course. The goods traffic on this side of the range was considerably disorganised. A special train which had been arranged to carry stock to the Addington market was unable to proceed beyond Stillwater and arrangements had to he made for the return of the stock to the consignees. Advice received from the railway officials last night was to the effect that all stock had been disposed of. No mails arrived from Christchurch yesterday. So far there has been no indication of the recent washout on the western side of Otirn giving way. Late last night the railway officials at GrCymouth stated that the work of repair was proceeding apace and it was expected that the line would he clear by noon to-day. The usual 7.40 a.ill. mixed train to Otira will he run. as

also with till' corresponding OtiraG'reym.'nith train. Hotli expresses to am! from Christchurch will lit' run at the usual time, anil unless further heavy rain is cxperiem-eil in the hath country, no difficulty i> antii'ipateil in dispatching the trains through the damaged sections. Normal traffic should lie running liy this afternoon. Latest advice from Rntoinanu was to the effect that the rail: ceased there about I p.tn. yesterday.

TRAIN TRAFFIC NORMAL. The Railway Statioumaster advised that the express to Cliristchureh got through from Oreymouth this morning and the inward train should arrive at Hokitika at the usual time this evening.