PROVINCIAL NEWS

Kumara Times, Issue 3056, 19 August 1886, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS

[united press ASSOCIATION.] HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS IN OTAGO. Dunedin, August 10. i :if damage liy floods is heavier than v’;\s anticipated, i'ho machine rooms

of the newspaper offices are filled to a depth of three feet, the Times not bein<; able to complete its issue till nearly noon. One house in Duncan street is completely wrecked by a fall of earth. Its occupants fortunately were sleeping in the upper rooms. A large threestorey house belonging to Mr M'Far lane is seriously threatened. There are several large landslips in the city, and at the upper end of the new Cargill Road a ditch, which has cost about £IOOO, has burst up. Later. It is raining as hard as ever. Both main sewers in Caversham are extensively damaged. In Bond street the water rose in several warehouses to the height of three feet. In Sargood’s Bond about 450 cases of drapery and general goods are damaged. It is the heaviest rain that has fallen for 23 years. Latest. The latest regarding the state of the Taieri is to the effect that the flood is some sft. below that of seven years ago, but the river is still rising. The inhabitants of Outram are in some consternation, lest the whole township will be swept away-. Water is percolating 'hraugh the embankments made by the Board of Conservators, and if this goes a sudden rush of water may sweep every house before it. The Taieri farmers generally have removed their stock to the high ground. Rumors were prevalent that the Seacliff Asylum was in danger from slips, but so far as is known these are without foundation. In Palmerston and the Waihemo county the loss of stock has been considerable, Muir Bros, lost 200, mostly valuable stud sheep, and Robertson, of Bushy Park, 1600. An attempt will be made to open ready communication with the •South to morrow if there is any subsidence of the water on tho Taieri. No loss of life so far is recorded, although there have been a number of narrow escapes.