FLOOD ON THE PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4705, 30 May 1924, Page 2

FLOOD ON THE PLAINS.

—,—« — ENORMOUS AREAS INUNDATED. During the past teu days rain has fallen daily on the Hauraki Plains, a total of 5.84 inches being recorded, bringing the total for the month to date lo 8.21 inches. Between noon on Monday and 4 a.m. on Tuesday particularly heavy rain fell steadily, the total for the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. being 3.15 inches. The effect of this deluge has been to flood the Plains as badly as during April of last year despite the fact that the drains arc now- thoroughly clean. In every district enormous areas are inundated. Many farmers cannot see a blade of grass on their holdings. All the drains on Tuesday were running at their utmost capacity, but the smallness of the outlets and the fact that the river fell little below high-tide level all day. prevented the water from getting away< ~ u At Kerepeehi, when the tide should have been right out the river was at normal high-tide level. In the Puhauga canal at the same time the yellow water was rushing down at a great rate, while at and below Ngatea for a certain distance the level was up to that of spring tide; ln the Waihou River the tidal effect was apparent Tor a greater distance, but at high tide it overflowed at many places. it is difficult to state where the flooding was worst. Many of the roads appear as ribbons of dry land through lakes. For a couple of miles along the Kopuarahi road there is a sheet of water broken only by fences, houses, and trees. Other districts aie in the same position. THE AWAIT! SUFFERS. . Latest reports to baud show that the settlers in the Awaiti have suffered severely as a result of the recent Hood, it is* understood that it would be a difficult matter to hud a chain of dry land in the w hole of the Awaiti area at present. In an interview Mr J. Walton, of Awaiti West Road, slated that the fact of the Waihou River breaking through the stopbank at the Puke on Monday acted as a safety-valve for the water and saved the Awaiti from being flooded to a greater depth than it w‘as. On Tuesday the Awaiti settlemeYil .was comparatively free from river water, but the heavy rain that fell in the Matamata and Piako counties doting Tuesday night caused the river to break through the stop-bank near Tirohia. It appears that in that locality a number of gaps had been left in the bank, the Public Works Department intending to erect flood-gates at those places. It was through these gaps that the water poured, and on Wednesday the water was over a large portion of the area, and. by yesterday afternoon almost the whole of the Awaiti settlement was submerged. The settlers on the main Awaiti road received the flood first, and no time was lost in mustering Mock and driving them to higher levels. Many of the settlers from the Awaiti West area left their holdings on Tuesday to help' their neighbours on the main road area, only to return to find that the flood was sweeping through their own district. Owing to the 'rapidity with which the water came down great difficulty was experienced in get l lag cattle away. At four o’clock yesterday afternoon the water was still rising In the Awaiti West district, and many homes had the water in to a depth of several feet.