RAIN AND FLOODS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1929, Page 6

RAIN AND FLOODS

LATEST REPORT. f tßy Telegraph, Per Press Association. TLMARU, July 18. South Canterbury is at present in the grip of the worst flood experienced for several years. Steady rain set in on Monday, and continued almost without a break until early last evening. In some parts of the district the fall was exceptionally heavy, and as a result all the rivers are in heavy flood.

Tho-fact that a heavy southerly sea lias been running 4 ’ all the week has prevented the flood waters getting away, and in many places the rivers and creeks have overflowed the banks, submerging the surrounding country in cases to a depth of four feet and more, while a fair amount of damage has been done to roads and property on the low country near the- coast. The full effect of the storm has been made apparent in the McKenzie Country, where bridges and approaches have been washed away, and runholders are marooned at Geraldine. The AVailii River undermined the (foundations of the hack portions of a garage, which collapsed, precipitating four cars and a'motor truck into the flood waters. Two of the cars and a truck were later located, hut the remaining two cars are still missing. Temuka is cut off by road both north and* south, and Timnru is in a similar position, communication from the south being blocked by flood water on the south side of the Pareora bridge. There was three'feet of snow in some parts' of the McKenzie country yesterday, morning, and snow fell at intervals throughout the day at Tekapo. In Tibiaru the rainfall up till five 1 o’clock this evening was four inches,' but there has been little since that hour, and the indications are that" the worst is over.

ASHBURTON BLOCKED. ASHBURTON, July 18. As the result of the very heavy rain, the Main South Road at Hinds is blocked, and there is no access. The roads to Methven are also impassable. •’’No extensive damage is reported though a (few sheep have been reported drowned in the Methven district.

The fall of rain yesterday was 220 points, the heaviest ’ for some years. The total since Sunday has been 332 points.

watmate 1 Inundation •: vVOKIu-:- • __ ’ WATMATE, July 18. The rainfall hi various parts of the Waimate 4 "district varies from three to' over four : inches'for the period commencing b'fi Monday. All the creeks are in flood, and the County Council has issued a warning against using the Main Ndi’th Road at Pareora Bridge, owing to flood damage; also Crn'Asits Bridge, across the /Upper PareoraliTso Station--Peak Road botwebn Wa^ha'o'Dmvn'S and Kurow. Rain is'-st-ilf failing,'tlidiigTi; 'it is easing somewhat."

WAIMATE RACES CANCELLED. ■ = WATMATE, July 18i ! Owing to the h id. weather conditions the Waimate Hunt Club’s race meeting, . to have been held on Saturday, has now been cancelled, and the Club is making application to hold' ' the meeting at a Hater date.' YAST EXPANSE OF WATER. DUNEDIN, July 18. Heavy rain and the melting of the snow in the back country have resulted in the most serious flood experienced on Taieri Plain, 10 miles’ south df Dunedin, since 1923, when Dunedin too was inundated. From a short distant sold’- of Allanton down to Henley ‘ Yto is i 'uige expanse of water, e -vering the r; ilway line to a depth of. over three' feet, and the main south road is mi e-e portion covered to a do"- 4 ';. ~i' -w foet. The flooded area consists almost solely of farm land, hut serious damage is not anticipated. The farmers had ample warning of the rising of the Taieri River, and stock was removed to high land. As far as is known, no losses of stock have been experienced. One of the most seriously affected portions- of the plain is at Berwick, where homes have been inundated. As a result of the flooding of the railway line, -train traffic south of .Mosgiel was suspended to-day, and it is thought unlikely that the service will he resumed to-morrotfC The difff culties have been added to by the fact that a wash-out has occurred near Otokia, hut its full extent will not he' known until the flood waters have subsided. Mails were carried by lorry between Dunedin and Milton to-dav, but one of' the vehicles is still held up at Henley owing to the rising of the river. The service on the Outram branch line is likely to he suspended for some days.

4‘“' SLIP’HAT STAIRCASE. EXPRESS ARRIVES SIX HOURS LATE. ' The thirty-odd"passengers who stepped on to the Greymouth station last night off'the'express, showed signs of fatigue, as the journey from Christchurch occupied six hours longer than the scheduled time. The long delay in the arrival of the train was caused by a hold-up at Staircase, at which place the torrential rain being experienced on the East Coast caused a slip, which blocked the line. A goods train, hound ifrom Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch ran into the slip with the result that

tlie engine and some of the wagons wore derailed. Some"considerable time elapsed before the line was cleared sufficiently to enable the express to continue, and it was shortly before 8 o’clock that Otira was reached. The express left Otira at 8.30 and reached Greymouth at: 10.40, nrriv’iig at Hokitika just bel’oi'f midnight.