STREETS FLOODED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 222, 13 May 1932, Page 6

STREETS FLOODED

drains blocked TORKENTIAL FALL OF RAIN ACCOMPANIES THUNDER STORM MOTORISTS IN DIFFICULTY ' One of the heaviest rain storms which has occurred in the Rotorua district for a numher of years, deluged the town yesterday morning and for a period, a number of streets were under practically flood conditions. The heaviness of the fall combined with blockages caused by the leaves of street trees, caused serious inconvenience in both Tutanekai and Fenton Streets, where in some places the water was lapping almost ,on the threshholds of business premises. Motorists in.some cases were foreed to take to "paddling" in order to crank their cars and many wheeled vehicles in the worst of ihe. flooded seetions wero uf» to thei" wheel kubs in water. The rto'm ;wa acvonipJt'iied by heavy thunder n»d lightning and a1 thoaeh Ihe vam -qackenod for .-:hou periou t, qmia.r the grcatsr ruri of the morning it was of almost torrential intensity. Three-quarters of an inch of rainfall was registered by the Tourist Department at 9 o'eloclc this morning, but the heaviest fall occurred after that hour and will b& included in to-day's reading. Although a number of small slips were reported on the Mamaku hills. there was no interruption in the service car runs between Auckland and Rotorua. A large quantity of metal was waslied off the Whakatane Road, but both this route and the Napier Road were clear throughout the morning. The mid-day train from Frankton junction was an hour and seven minutes late on arrival at Rotorua, but this delay was caused by engine. trouble on the Wellington- Auckland express, and was not due to the storm Railway communication was not in any way interrupted.

There was also an interruption m the power service during the. morning, due to trouble with a broken insulator at Arapuni, but current was switched on about 12.15 p.m. Owing to the electrical conditions it was not considered safe to switch over to the Okere plant. The Borough Council out-door staff was hard at work during the morning, clearing the drains, and by noon the greater part of the surplus water had subsided. Flooding in Streets At about 10.30 in the morning the rain was falling with such intensity that the drains were insufficient to carry the flood water away. The blockages caused by the fallen leaves from the plane trees bordering many of the streets further accemtuated the trouble. The water commenced backing up until, soon after eleven o'clock, portions of the town were in a state of flood and many of the business premises, especially in Fenton Street, were completely isolated by the water. Heavy rain continued to fall until well after mid-day and by this time the water had risen higher than has been known in Rotorua for the past eight years. In Fenton Street from Hinemoa Street to Arawa Street the western side was a veritable lake and the water was lapping over the steps of the shops. Had the crown of the road been an inch higher the water would have entered many of the premises. Veritable River Another sheet of water spread across the intersection of Hinemoa and Hinemaru Streets and flowed in a veritable river across the pavements. Further down by the Arawa Street entrance to the Government Gardens a small lake had formed, the blockage of the drains preventing the water from subsiding. Tutanekai Street was not so seriously effected, although in several places the water flowed across the pavements. The water only entered one shop, that of Mr. Wilbert Marlcs, but this was due to the roof drainage being prevented from getting away by the backed up water outside. The floors of this shop' were flooded, but no damage was done to Mr. Marks' stock, and as soon as the rain eased it subsided. The shops in Fenton Street were by far the worst sufferers, through interference with business, as even on the highest sections of the pavemenis outside., ihe water lay to a depth of three to four inches. Access, dry shod, to these premises was completely cut off for about three hours. Motorists' Resourcefulness In one or two instances, however, would-be purchasers overcame the difficulty by driving their cars along the pavements to the door of the shop theg? wished to enter. Several people who had entered the Post OfAce prior to the downpour found that they were marooned, the water having backed up to the steps at the entrance. Some braved the flood, however, and stepped into the water, while others were rescued by motor-cars which drove on to the pavement. The conditions , which were more unpleasant than serious, also had •their humorous side. As soon as flooding commenced, fashions in footwesr in many cases rapidly changed. Gum " hoots replaced boots and shoes for many, while others resorted to bare feet. One motorist who had left his car at the curb in Fenton Street while he flid business elsewhere, found on returning that his vehicle, a baby model, was reposing in the centre oi a lake with its running boards awash. Nothing daunted, the owner hailed a car which was passing, and standing on the running board, was driven over to his own vehicle. Amusing Incidents Some amusement was al£o found by several watchers outside the fire station in Haupapa Street. The water had undermined the tarred surface of the foothpath and had blown it ur into huge bubbles and the approach of an unwary pedestrian was awaited with interest. On stepping on to a bubble. he felt the ground slowly sink under him, and usually jumped to safer ground with considerable alacrity and with a loolc of consternation on his face. Small children thoroughly enjoy-

"d themselves in the flooded streets and many eould be seen paddling along the pavements, while one, eviiently a boating enthusiast, sailed his model yacht across the thoroughfare By mid-day the Borough Council and Tourist department's, staff s were busily engaged clearing the blocked drains and culverts and by one o'clock the water subsided considerably. In the afternoon the weather cleared considerably an'd by three o'clock • the town was practically free * from surface water. -v t. . ... ... '. ... V' ; '.