FLOOD DANGER GROWS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 283, 20 February 1928, Page 1

FLOOD DANGER GROWS

SETTLERS’ LIVES MENACED TORRENTIAL RAIN IN N.S.W. By Cable. — Brest Association. — Copyright. Received 11.30 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. HEAVY storms, both in the north and south of the State, have further increased the flood danger in New South W ales. Torrential rain is still falling, and further flooding now seems inevitable. The lives of many settlers and their families are endangered.

The work of repairing railway lines--3n the Riverina district has been made increasingly difficult. Washaways have been repaired, but within a few hours of being mended the line has again been broken. Stockowners in the Murray Valley are preparing for more serious floods. At Grafton the Clarence River, which an earlier message stated was falling, is again rising.

At Ulmarra the Clarence River broke its banks, and flooded the country for miles. A large area of farm land, including areas under cane and maize, was submerged by the flood. It was arranged for boats to leave Ulmarra at daybreak to pick up settlers, whose lives are threatened by the oncoming waters.

It is stated that 12 families are in danger on the Richmond River, which is in high flood. In the Kyogle district a fall of 15 inches of rain caused the river to rise 50 feet. Water entered the western portion of the town, which is isolated, many houses being submerged. The police warned residents before the flood reached it.; maximum of 60 feet, when it commenced to recede.

Telegraph lines are down at Kyogle, and it is difficult to obtain news from centres up the river It is still raining.

A message received fjxjm Junee reports that the weather is fine, and that the waters are falling. The town of Orange experienced one of the big gest floods in its history. The lower parts of the town were flooded to a depth of four feet. .An earlier message from Sydney this morning stated that weather con-

ditions in New South Wales had eased. There was no rain in Sydney yesterday, but the sky was still threatening, and more rain was predicted. Coastal conditions were still dirty', with rough seas. Numerous railway wash-aways Id various places are interfering badly with the services blocking the traffic. Trains to and from Melbourne have again been cancelled pending th® retreat of the flood waters and -rocgfeM to th® line,—A. and N.Z.

SIX PEOPLE DROWNED LIVES LOST IN FLOOD SYDNEY, To-day. Reports from Kyogle state that a man named Smith and his wife were drowned in Gracy’s Creek. At Oakley Park an elderly man, John Brennan, was also drowned. An unconfirmed report states that in addition to Constable Alpin, who was drowned in a creek in the Kyogle district, a man named Barnes has been drowned. Farmers on an island oil Forbes, on the Lachlan River, 276 miles west of Sydney, report thata man named Stephenson was attempting to swim the flooded rivers When he lost his life—A. and N.Z. IN OTHER STATES SHIPPING CLEARED FROM BRISBANE WHARVES Received 11.30 am MELBOURNE, To-day Heavy rain continues to fall in many parts of the State. No serious damage is reported. The rivers, however, continue to rise, and should the

rain continue, there is a danger of serious flooding. All the low-lying areas near Rutherglen are submerged, the water being two feet deep. Unceasing heavy rain over the Brisbane River basin has caused a rapid rise of water in the upper reaches. Fearing floods when this water arrives in the already swollen lower reaches, all vessels have been ordered to leave the city wharves by midnight. Other Queensland rivers are also extensively in flood.—A. and NZ. ‘ =