SERIOUS FLOODS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 212, 2 May 1932, Page 5

SERIOUS FLOODS

jPress Assn.-

RIVERS BREAIC BANKS LARGE AREA INUNDATED IN HAWKE'S BAY MAIN ROADS BLOCKED

-By Telegrstph — Copyright).

NAPIER, Sunday. Flood conditions prevailed in the district between Napier and Hastings and to the west of these places over the week-end. The position became serious yesterday afternoon, but the cessation of rain during last night and this mornng hrought relief and prevented further damage. A break in tha banks of the Tutaekuri River, which occUrred on Friday afternoon, allowed water to flood the lower Papakura district yesterday to • a depth of, two to three feet. Practically a third of the ..volume of the river is going- through the breach, taking with it a very considerable amount of silt which has been very much in evidence in all the rivers in the district since the earthquake. A further breach, some four chains in extent, oecurred in the Ngaruroro River at Ruapare yesterday afternoon, and the eountry in. the vicinity of Poplar Avenue and Pakawhai small settlements to the west of Hastings, was inundated.

To-day the rain in Napier andHastings eased off while reports from the back eountry district. indicate that the falls have. not been so heavy as in the two previous days. The falls were not so continuous, and between showers the water has been given an opportunity to get away. This had its effect to-day and all the rivers showed definite signs of going down. Isolated By Floods No stock losses were reported. The areas flooded are mainly small farm holdings with some dairying cattle," and as the farmers have become accustomed- to flood conditions lately, they toolc the precautions of removing stock to the higher ground at the first intimation of a flood. About a dozen. houses in lower Papakura are isolated by the flood waters, but the residents haye not, been compelled to leave them as they are built above flood level. In one or two instances residents have been short of food ,but arrangements wefe, made to-day to supply them with what they require.

Most of the principal roads in the. district have been bloclced by slips or floods, but many of these have now been re-opened. Communication by direct route was cut off between Napier and Hastings to all but high buses and lorries yesterday, but today all cars were able to get through with water up to the running boards. The Napier-Wairoa Road was blocked for a time yesterday with slips on the Devil's elbow, but an altefnative route was opened up to-day. It is expected that the main route- will not 1 be opened until to-morrow. The Napier-Taupo Road is blocked . with large slips just over 20 miles from Napier. Living On Table Conditions at Haumoana Beach resort, at the mouth of the Ngaruroro River were more serious on this occasion than for the last 20 years. The swollen river, backed up hy heavy seas, . inundated portion of the residential area nearest the riverbank, and , at least six houses had to be vacated, the floors being. under water. One family, which had only settled there for two weeks, and which consisted of a man, his. wife-, five children and his aged blind father, had to be removed by boat to safety. Another family have been living on a . table in the kitchen since Friday night. . . . . . . In another section of the township 10 houses, situated between .two lagoons, which overflowed across Jie roadway were completly isolated on Saturday. One resident was .able to . row a boat across a flooded paddoek, where the level of the water was over the tops of the fences, to do , the necessary shopping in th.e. viliage.^ The position as.it presents jtself today is viewed seriously by the ies;dents as the flood question has become f ar more acute since. the , earthquake owing to the river bed having been raised two feet and the level- of the surrounding land having fallen two feet, making the difference in the level four feet all told. The flood water this time found its way to parts which in prevous years had not been affected. To-day the level dropped considerably, mainly due to the moderation of the sea and the opening of the river mouth by .riyer .board officials. The residents are deeply concerned, however, as another rough sea may again cause serious damage.