FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 25

FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA

UNPRECEDENTED STORMS. .TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE IN VICTORIA. s THE WORST SINCE 1870. ENORMOUS DESTRUCTION OF ' PROPERTY. MELBOURNE, August 20. Floods have caused numerous railway irashaways, dislocating the traffic. There was an unprecedented rain and -wind storm a* Ballarat. The low-lying parts of the city are submerged, and numerous buildings have, collapsed or. are damaged. ' I The Deventon Woollen Mills were unroofed, the damage amounting to several hundreds of pounds. The iiouse occupied by a man named Odgers was Mrs Odgers was crushed to death, and the husband: and daughter were injured. - ■ . A Mr "■RejiMai4's house collapsed, and Mxs Wefmaia- was injured. These were numerous nafiow escapes from flying debris. , * It was reported late last night that the bridge between Chines and Talbot was washed away, and - that an engine and several trucks had toppled into the creek. Nobody was killed, but an ambulance was despatched to the scene. There are heavy floods in the Bendigo district. At Barwon Park Mrs Ferry, wife of the manager of the estate, and a girl named Gurrie were drowned in trying to escape in a boat. The man in charge of the boat had a narrow escape. There was a terrific thunderstorm at Inglewood, the river overflowing into the main street, many residences being inundated. The biggest flood for 40 years is reported in the Avoca River. Hcorongvale is under water, and many people •have left their houses. Maryborough, Wichelsea, W«dderburn, Yarrawonga, and Castlemaine all report high floods, and portions of the townships are under water. Great losses of- poultry are feared, and there is much damage to the crops. ~Ar>- roelent thunderstorm visited Mel"x>urae, thY streets -being . deluged and several' of the low-lying suburbs 'flooded. The express from Adelaide was detained at Ballarat overnight, the journey being unsafe owing to the washaways. The telegraphic service is disorganised. The driver and iireman of the dunes train were injured when -it toppled into the creek. Two passenger cars were -attached, containing about 30 people, but the piling up of the trucks preceding theim prevented tha carriages falling into the creek. The passengers suffered from- shock. It is reported that a dredge, containing four men, at Castlemaine, was washed away. Reports are coming to hand from all parts showing that immense damage has ■ been done -by the storm and floods. Many buildings have been wrecked." All tihe rivers" are in a critical condition, and great losses are feared. The Remington racecourse is 3ft under •water. The floods' at Geelong are the .heaviest lor years. ,The railway traffic is disorganised. "The Englishman's Home" Company, frhich is journeying^ to , Sydney to catch itbe Moana, is held up by the floods. The" New Zealand tour hasbeen postponed • for the present. The towsnship of Newstead is flooded. The Lodden- River" rose 'with .great fapidity, and llie Newstead Hotel, was (washed into the middle of the street and wrecked. Many houses have 7ft oj .water in them. Auprtwt 21. The floods are the worst and most' / extensive since 1870. The rainfall is phenomenal. i

The passengers by the Clones train had a sensational experience. One car lay tipped endwise, resting on the piledup tracks below. Another was partially suspended over a broken bridge, and •water was all round them, and na way out excepting along the footboards. Holes had to be chopped through^ from compartment to compartment to enablethose in the tilted carriage to get .oat* \ Numerous railway washaways are" reported, and several railway and other ■ bridges have either been destroyed or badly damaged. 4. The railway and vehicular traffic is disorganised. - The express from Adelaide was held up at Murtoa, and the express from Melbourne -at_ Stawell, owing to washouts. Two more fatalities are reported. - A man named Phillips, at Learmonth (89 miles north-west of Melbourne), -ancKiir. man named Bees, at Garngham (IIS' miles west by north of Melbourne), were drowned in attempting to cross flooded creeks. The weir" and -bridge. v at Laanecoone(9o miles north-west of Melbourne) have been transformed into an island. The river at Newbridge '(121' miles from Melbourne) is eight miles wide. A blacksmith's shop and a 'Bakery were swept away, and the rise was so rapid that several residents were caught and had to be rescued. The loss in property and live stock will be very heavy.* Some families took refuge on a stage with three feet of water round them. Miss Hunter, the postmistress, refused to leave her post, and camped on ■ the counter with four feet of water lapping the edges. In the morning she waded out. All along the valley of the -Loddon River large areas are submerged, and* the people driven from their homes. The Eddington (106 miles north-west of Melbourne) and Bridgewater (126£ . miles north-west of Melbourne) bridges were swept away. There is a big rise of the Campaspe River. All the shops in the town of Rochester (139 miles north of Melbourne) are flooded. The reservoir at Blackwood (56 miles west-north-west of Melbourne) burst, and the bridges were swept away. The Evans ford (116 miles north-west of Melbourne) reservoir, which supplies Maryborough (112 miles northwest of Melbourne) burst its huge masonry embankment, holding a depth of 32ft of water, which collapsed and smashed the mains. The reservoir cost £55,000. Serious damage is reported from. Aveca (128 miles -north-west of Melbourne), Drowned stock and furniture are floating down the .river at Ararat (131£ miles, north-west of Melbourne). A man took refuge in a tree all night, and a couple in a buggy surrounded by water.* All were rescued. The low-lying' lands round Geelong (45 miies south-west of Melbourne) are submerged. Several bridges have been «wept away, and the railway embankment is destroyed. At Charleton (173 miles north-north-west of Melbourne) a family named Powell took. refuge on the roof, which was surrounded by a wide and deep expanse of water. No boat was available for their rescue. At Ballarat (74 miles west-north-west of Melbourne) the water invaded the houses in three of the principal streets and was still rising last night. On the outskirts of the town the- residents escaped by wading waist-deep in ■water. Similar reports have been received from various centres of the district. Kilmore (43 miles north of Melbourne) and Seymour (61 nrilesnorth of Melbourne), towns along the Goulburn River, report high floods and serious damage by storm. A missing* dredge" from" Castlemaine (78 miles north -north- west of Melbourne), after being • carried down some distance, succeeded in anchoring. Its four inmates escaped" 1 The low lands along the Saltwater River arc under water, the houses are flooded, and the residents have removed their . belongings.

j ~ T~he Laanecoorie - weir, the levers of trhioir, were swept away, cost, £8500. - - • August 22. Telegraphic are delaying nettS From the floooEed areas.- Latest reports state that the worst is over, and' that the . ..igaters *a% receding. Two more drowning fatalities are reported." '•' ,- h. August 23 .^,Jfcs. J \ impossible as yet to estimate the damage done -by^e^ floods., but thie losses, .done; to the cr6ps', stock; and. other property are.' enormous*. . M,any families .have practicalify lost their all. . __.• . „ The railway washaways "j are. _. being rapidly • repaired, and it is'expected that fegjning^ wiljl be generally restored to-day.. The bleeds everywhere--.are rapidly receding.., ' • .-.' *', .- -^ v . ... ■^Fuller details . disclose . many , thrilling escapes'- ancf; heroic enWts,on the. .part *.o£^ Rescuers?,? <a£es people-: had to be taken from the roofs after'occupying their dangerous position for many hours. At the "height of the flood the Tvhole of , 'the township of Rupanyup was submerged j 4ift. " The water rose so rapidly that the i people were caught in their beds. They < made a 'hurried exit. Both reservoirs I bucst. - The hoiel at Banyena,. was; -completely, washed a~vay. -'..;■ in" addition to the fatalities cabled yesterday a man named Ellis, at Snake i Valley, was -drowned, and an unknown ' man at Eimore. J ADELAIDE r August 21. ! Heavy general rain is reported, and the- . low-lying lands round Adelaide, including , tihe Morphettville. raceoouxee, are sub- \ merged. Floods are reported from many parts of the country. ♦ HOBART, August 21. There. .are. heavy general Tains.