FLOOD AT KARAMEA

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1930, Page 3

FLOOD AT KARAMEA

HEAVY LOSS OF STOCK. DAIRYING LAND RENDERED USELESS. (“ChCh Times.”) A flood reminiscent of the Scddonville disaster occurred in the Karamea River during .December 29 and 30. Many farms were inundated, heavy losses of stock occurred, roads were scoured and houses damaged. The liuge quantities of timber that came down ihe river during the flood led many residents to believe that one of the dams in the upper reaches had given way. Since the big earthquake of June last year, the Karamea River has been :i swollen, muddy torrent. Seen aftei tlie flood, the beaches-- were strewn with masses of piied-up timber tint! stretched north and south as far as the eye could reach. The character o; the river and beaches had undergone ; remarkable change. “As a climax to a year of disaster the flooding of the Karamea River could not have been worse,” said a Chrstchureh man who returned ifrom Karamea on Monday. “The rapid rise of the river, which commenced on Decomber 29, caused some alarm in the district. 1 was an eye-witness of the river that day, as 1 was slaving with some friends, a stone’s-throw from the Karamea Bridge. ‘ The sullen roar of thp river gradually increased as the day progressed. It had been raining hard, and the residents naturally expected to see'some of the dams that had been reported to lie far up the river burst. As the volume of water increased, logs of various sizes started to come down, until between five and six o'clock in the evening, when the flood was at its worst, there was a constant stream of timber of all sizes and shapes. The noise at the Karamea Bridge was deafening as the big logs struc-k the covered piles with thunderous reports, and, gradually losing their hold, slithered on to he rushed away seaward by the turgid waters.

AVATER RISES RAPIDLY. The boiling torrent scoured away the banks on both sides in its mad progress to the sea. To add to the fear of floods, the tide was rising fast —a formidable barrier to the raging torrent. Residents of Market Cross and Karamea removed articles off" furniture to the highest possible point, and carpet and other floor coverings were taken up and placed out ol harm’s -way.

At Arapito the damage was considerable, much of the daily land being silted up. Much stock was lost and roads and buildings were damaged. An inspection of the river on the Arapito side the next day showed that it had changed its bed considerably, and that .it had gouged out deep banks where before it had been flowing placidly. On the Umere side huge sandbanks had been formed.

SEEN FROM BRIDGE. “The flood as seen from the Karamea Bridge was an awe-inspiring sight,” the narrator continued. “When the flood was rising, an occasional log would make the bridge shiver, so great was the force of the current. The roar of the stream past the piles made me feel giddy. The water rose so rapidly that it was easy to watch the progress of the flood as it inundated the land adjacent to the river. When the river was at its height the succession of thuds as logs struck the piers made the whole structure tremble. The tide dammed up the outlet/for the water, and it spread over the rich dairying lands.

TOLL OF DAMAGE. “The road between Market Cross and the Karamea Bridge was badly scoured. Next day the fences bordering the highway were festooned with the debris left by the flood. So deep was the scouring that huge cracks caused by the earthquake last June were clearly defined along the centre of the road. Much damage was caused to 'fences, and the loss of stock was considerable. “Karamea township suffered considerably. The water reached the doorstep of the Post Office. Much of the dairying land . was silted up, and will be totally useless for grazing. Several small bridges were carried away, and many bouses had the floors covered with mud. The small m.v. Kotiti, that provides the province’s only communication with Westport, was at the wharf, and, although the wharf was submerged, she was undamaged.

HUMEROUS SIDE. “The house in which I was staying that night was situated very close to the bridge and the river, but fortunately it was well up. -We kept telephonic communication with the people at Market Cross, and received progress reports of the encroachment of the water. ‘Tt is at the back door,’ was the first dramatic announcement. ‘AVe can’t shift the piano,” was one that caused us to laugh. ‘I wish you men were here to help,’ was the next bit of information. Meanwhile, we had our own stock to attend to. As a safeguard, all the cattle had been removed to high ground as soon as it was realised that the flood might be severe. But we had overlooked the pigs. The water cut off all communication by road. Next it seeped through the stophank at the rear of the house and we wyre isolated. A terrible clamour

aroused us to the need for immediate lotion if the pigs were to be saved, file tide of water on the off-side of the house had reached the piggery, as the weircl noises carried to us above he roar of the river and the howl of ihe wind testified. Clad in trousers only, and torch in hand, one of the men made his way through the partially submerged orchard, and 'then, partly swimming and partly wading crossed the sea of water that separated the stock from the house. An old sow was easily enough persuaded to shift to higher ground, but a dozen young pigs in another pen were a different matter. They were all out, but as soon as the rescuer made off to dry ml they made one dash for - the sty again, and all his trouble was for nought. By and by a liorse was pro"ured and the rescue work was. carried an. The water was bitterly cold, and the stuhborness of the pigs did' not uld to our comfort in the least: I was glad when the night was over.”