CANTERBURY FLOODS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1930, Page 4

CANTERBURY FLOODS

HEATHCOTE. RIVER' OVERFLOWS. r ; : (By Telegraph—Preee Association). l " CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 6. Three days of continuous rain has caused a ser : ous flooding in many suburbs of Christchurch, especially in. Western Terrace, Beckenham].; wheift' seven families had to be removed’‘from /'/ their homes in a lorry yesterday/evening', owing to Hoathcote River, oveiv.V flowing. . ' : - r ' Ji;" : /Part of Lower Colombo St. was. to*' der water this morning. ,: -\ f % ■ '<■ CAUSES ALARM, • ;; / i ,The flood waters this nmrnirig stood! three feet deep iff the’ back', yards ' of ’ » a dozen' houses fronting on to '* /Hoathcote River, along the western terrace of Further ' the; eastern terrace a scour from the . swirling npRBSf j sable for half ft • mile.* * Huge' lbgs ; Up to fifteen, feet in length, and. over two feet in diameter wereTifought down Uy the flooded stream. They crashed (Vgainst the frail footbridges which had! fqr years been strong enough to carry pedestrian traffic from the two terraces across the small stream to the Port Hills road. Smart work by the pity Council staff in clearing away the logs prevented the wreckage of that bridge, the ends of which were in some , cases a chain from dry land. With the male members of the households away at work women and children became , greatly perturbed last evening at-toeing ~ ~cfut; off from, dry land and,; .with. ~Uie; : river steadily rising. .The occupants of. pine...small bungalows gathered,,,/;to-,. , .gefher a few personal effects, and, were* parried out through a foot of , water to p,. ( iwaiting City. Council lorry. There elderly wQtne-n, young women tpith ; !S .small babies, - all of whom, showed. plu<?k •,,; ‘ip.their plight;