The Flood.

Manawatu Herald, 14 June 1902, Page 3

The Flood.

■ Having had rain here all day yesterday and the wind from the East a flood was expected, but' not one so big and down so quick as the present one.

Yesterday morning the Postmaster received a telegram from Woodville stating that it had been raining there all night and the river was rising. In the afternoon telegrams cams from Palmerston- and Feilding, the latter stating that the Kiwitea and Oroua rivers were rapidly rising, and if rain continued a big flood was expected. The up and down trains on the Manawatu were stopped last night by the Tokomaru swamp, and the temporary bridge at Bulls, over the Eangitikei river has been partially washed away. Yesterday afternoon the river near town rose five feet in two hours, and in the evening was more than bank high and prevented the coach from Shannon from crossing at the ferry. This morning a spare coach has been gent out hoping to get connection from Shannon.

The river last night was running over the Motoa road near Mrs Edwards’. farm, and the water is running quickly into the Motoa swamp. This morning’s train got as far ns the Oroua Bridge and returned at 11.80 having been unable to get through the land beyond, it being all deep under water. The driver of the coach informs us that to got to the ferry this morning he had to get through a lot of water, at Burr’s road the river was running through so swift and about three feet deep, as to nearly wash the coach off the ground. He passed a milk cart washed away to the side of the 'road, out of which the horse had to be cut adrift.

The river is just beginning to flow over the embankment at Walden’s mill. The river is still rising fast.