AUSTRALIAN FLOODS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1928, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN FLOODS

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) FIRE AND FLOOD. SYDNEY, Feb. 21. At an early hour this morning a fire broke out at Kempsey, in the I’ederal stores. Owing to the flood in the streets the fire engine was unable to reach the blaze. J. Anderson and his wife, who live above the stores, were awkened by stones being thrown on the roof and barely escaped. Several other buildings were threatened. Anderson s damage is estimated .at ten thousand sterling. At Kempsey, McLeary River is up 19 feet and the worst flood tor many years is feared. At Belhook. lurtlier up, it is tbirtv-live ioet and all residents fled to high country. In many parts of Central Kempsey the water is live feet deep in the streets and still rising. Many shops, with their contents are ruined. Ibe town of Nyngan is nearly under water, anil the position is serious. Many people have been without food lor two or three days and no relief can be given. Flood conditions are responsible lor the swift rise in the price ol sheep and cattle at 1 lomebush sale. Sydney sheep market rose ten shillings l*er head. Cattle are up £2 10s per head. The chairman of the Meat Board says prices will continue to rise till the roads are in a lit condition to permit stock to he brought to the railhead. FLOOD waters receding. SYDNEY. Feb. 21. Tin; rain lias ceased, and llie Menthol is fine, with the exception of the northern districts, where it is still unsettled and showery. The floods are receding and the worst danger is past, excepting where large bodies ol water Irom the upper leaches have still to be reckoned with. The railways are being rapidly restored. Grafton estimates the damage along the Clarence Valley and the adjoining districts at £750,000, including £350,000 for maize crops and £lO.000 for sugar cane. The Mayor is applying to the Government to a-ssist in repairing losses. The streets are still flooded and full of debris, and business is practically at a standstill. People are busy cleaning up and repairing the damage. A child died in the town, and as the burial ground was cut off by tlie floods the body and mourners had to be conveyed to the graveside in boats. Heavy losses of pigs and cattle are reported throughout the district. In many places in the flooded areas, families were cut ofi and had to live on short rations till rescued. .Some aie still marooned on starvation rations, ami there are, many stories of narrow escapes and severe hardships. The Bogan River invaded Nyngan and wide areas are under Mater. A number of families arc marooned, and relief boats have been sent from Sydney. Mr Bavin lias issued instructions to meet all urgent claims, and do tlie utmost to mitigate the suffering caused by the floods. MARYBOROUGH ISOLATED. BRISBANE. Feb. 21. Fears of a flood in the Brisbane River arc allayed. The Mater is now falling. The Albert and Logan Rivers are in the highest of floods for years. Serious damage lias caused the railway services to be badly dislocated in various places by floods and waslmways. At Maryborough the river invaded Hio to,Yu mid tlie suburbs are isolated, and wharves submerged. SYDNEY. Feb. 21. Belated reports of the floods in the Tweed River, show that the whole Valley is deeply inundated, and iso- ' |atoil to"ns and residents are sullorJ ing badly for want of food supplies. ■ which have been cut off for days. [Houses in urwilliimbali are flooded ' half way un the walls, and some e'en ’ have only the rools snowing. ’ The rainfall since the first of the ' month is thirty-four inches. ' Throughout the week-end residents : rowed about the streets in .swimming costumes, rescuing property. The last report states that the water i is receding.