Camping Ground Flooded

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 6

Camping Ground Flooded

SORRY TIME FOR CANVASTOWN Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 27. The most serious sufferers from tho flooding in Wellington to-day were the occupiers of two hundred tents at the camping ground at Scots’ College, where the water lay in places to a depth of two feet during last night. With the exception of a strip of a few yards wide round the edge of the ground the entire camping area was flooded and food and clothing were soaked. Tho rain began to fall about 8 p.m. last night, but no one realised that tho camp was likely to be flooded. The water had risen sufficiently by 1.30 a.m. to cause concern though it was

not till 2 o’clock that many of the campers were aware of the flooding. An appeal was made to the police who communicated with the Auto Association and at 2.30 a.m. several policemen and an A.A. patrolman arrived to assist the campers Homo were still asleep and the darkness added to the unpleasantness of their position. Headlights from motor-cars were turned on to the tent* and evacuation was begun. Local residents, policemen, patrolmen and members of Scots’ College staff who were at the college worked tirelessly all night wading through water to help the campers move to dry quarters. Alany were accommodated in th school gymnasium and nearby buildings while others accepted offers of shelter from local residents. Though the water seeped into some of the tents at the Centennial motor camp at Miramar, no damage was caused, the stormwater drains working very effectively.