THE WEEK-END FLOOD.

Shannon News, 27 July 1926, Page 3

THE WEEK-END FLOOD.

• « WORST FOR MANY YEARS. ROAD TRAFFIC HELD UP. During' Sunday and continuing yesterday, Shannon experienced the heaviest and most continuous rainfall for some years, with the result | that all the low lying, country soon became a sea of water. Fortunately there has been no serious damage, ] although a number of settlers found \ it- necessary to remove their stock to j higher ground. 1 On Sunday morning Stansell’s drain was unable to cope with the I large quantity of local water flow- ) ing into- it, with the result that the southern end of Plimmer 'Terrace was flooded, also the flats on the Foxton side of the railway line. The bridge at the former spot at one period was in danger of being washed away, but fortunately it was able to baittle against the big volume of water. This was not so, with the one crossing to Mr Harding’s property, which gave way under the strain. There have been numerous washout and slips on the roads in the locality. The most serious is on the Buckley Hill, opposite Mr W. Swin-dlehurst-’s property, where about half the width of the. road, about half a chain in length has been washed away, leaving only sufficient room for a vehicle to pass. Slips have been reported on Prior’s Hill on the Makerua Road. . Slips on the road to Arapeti and the flooded state of the creeks blocked traffic to Mangahao yesterday. Among the vehicles held up was the ration waggon. All traffic was suspended yesterday along the Miranui road, owing to nearly If our feet of water toeing across the road in places. Several cars and one of Messrs Hotehen and Watts buses made an attempt to get through, tout had to come back. In some cases the cars were towed back. All the .flat country up tile Kara road was under water and in some i cases at 2 p.m. yesterday, the water j was up tO' the doorsteps of the houses j and still rising. > The Foxton road to the old'bridge is under water from just 1 within the Borough boundary. The ManaXvatu river (which was 7ft 6in. above normal at 2 p.m. yesterday, at Wopdville and still rising, was reported to be 15 feet above normal at the Fitzlierbert bridge at Pal- ! merston North, at the same hour, j The river yesterday afternoon was { running bank high at the old bridge ; site and was running over the stop bank. About 30 feet of the stop-bank on iM!r Smith’s property ■ at MOutoa broke away yesterday morning, and a large volume of water made its way through on to the big stretch of flat country, and an inland sea now occupies the place of the prosperous farms. Fearing they would be flooded out, two families have taken up their residence with neighbours. Up to the present no serious damage has been done in this' quarter, but if the water continues to rise much'higher it w ill have serious consequences. An .old resident of Buckley states that it is many years since he saw such a large quantity of local water as there is. at present, in that district. FLOOD WATERS SUBSIDING, The rain ceased during the night and conditions round Shannon are much improved. The flood waters are subsiding although the Manawatu river at Woodville is. still six feet above normal level. REPAIRS TO ROAD.

A gang of men from the Horowhenua County Council staff went out yesterday to- effect repairs to the roadway on Buckley Hill. A fence has been erected along the dangerous portion of the road and it- is anticipated that permanent repairs' will be carried out in -a few days..- ~ i • I