MANAWATU RIVER IN FLOOD.

Shannon News, 2 November 1928, Page 3

MANAWATU RIVER IN FLOOD.

RIVER RISES SUDDENLY

I- .As a. result of exceptionally heavy rain in the Pohangina river and on the Hawke's 'Bay side of the range I there .was a sudden rise in the Manawatu river on Wednesday which caus- ! ed alarm to owners of land in the vi.c- ---| inity of the river; At 4 p.m. on Wed- [ nesdav, the river had risen to 12 feet above normajl at tihe ' Fitzherbert I bridge, but a certain amount of; relief i was felt when it remained stationeryat that level.. '-•, ' . ■" \ ->

When word Avas received .at Shannon of the rising waters farmers took immediate steps to remove stock from the danger zor.e. During the night fceveraT farmers at Moutoa kept watch iji the event of the river -breaking through die stop bank. Fortunately, the banks held, although a big volume of water came,down. The water was., running bank high and in places it nearly came over. It is reported that at the Poplar mill the water ran over the top of the bank. Yesterday .morning the first report received stated the river was still rising, but at mid-day the water had •receded considerably.

There -is a large amount of loe&l water on the Foxton road going to the old bridge, but this is nothing eompar-' ed;with.what has been experienced in the past with the rise of the river. Yesterday afternoon the creeks had backed up at Makerua and a considerable quantity of water was lying on the main road at Miranui. In the. morning a few motorists to the : Royal Show if earing a blockage on the road on the retuniS journey turned back.. T,hose who took, the risk and went on wpre able to get through on their leturn without any "difficulty. . According to reports received later, yesterday and last evening it was still raining hard on the Hawke's Bay side of the range with the result that the river rose again. At 4 p.m. the water Avas 10ft 6in.-above normal at the Fitz-herbert-bridge and six feet at Woodville, with the ri\ 7 er still rising. Reports to hand this morning states that the bank at the Poplar Mill gave way this morning, with the result'that the surrounding country is hoav under Avatcr.