Rain and Floods in Hawkes Bay

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 79, 24 June 1927, Page 16

Rain and Floods in Hawkes Bay

FLATS INUNDATED RIVERS STILL RISING (Special to THE SUN.) WAIPUKTJRAU, To-day. After a day’s spell the rain commenced again yesterday, with the result that the Tukituki River, which had dropped almost to normal on Wednesday, again assumed flood-like proportions. It poured throughout the night and this morning the river was running nine feet higher. The Takapau Flats are inundated to a great extent. Farmers worked through the night shifting cattle and sheep to the high country. The bank of the river is broken in many places-, and the water is flooding paddocks for miles along the river’s course. Fortunately, there lias been no snow on the Ruahines, thus the position is easier than it might have been. One farm on the flat below Pukeora Sanatorium is flooded, but the house is fortunately out of range of the water. A certain amount of damage is reported from several farms, but nothing serious. A herd of six cattle which was marooned by the rising of the river, was driven to safety during the fall of water on Wednesday. It is reported from Napier that the Tukituki River has broken its banks at Meeanee, inundating the surrounding country. The Waters cover an extensive area between Takapau and Waipukurau. The river is still rising, with no cessation of the rain. Several minor washouts and slips on the main South Road and Ongaonga haye been reported, but they are not serious enough to hold up the traffic. The electric light failed about six o’clock this morning, following a heavy downpour.