HEAVY FLOODS AT TE AROHA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 414, 24 July 1928, Page 1

HEAVY FLOODS AT TE AROHA

CEASELESS DOWNPOUR

Town and Country Inundated

RAIL AND ROAD TRAFFIC HELD UP (From Our Own Correspondent.) TE AROHA, To-day. AN increasing downpour from Saturday until to-day lias given Te Aroha one of the worst rainstorms in its history, accompanied by the biggest flood that has ever been known here. The rain, at present, shows no signs of abating. Roads, farms and buildings all figure in the toll of the flood, and the main railway line at Mangaiti is covered by water.

On Saturday the gale commenced, and though intermittent rain fell during the day, it was not until nightfall that the height of the storm was reached. All night the storm raged and throughout Sunday, when the force of the wind abated, and rain poured down in sheets continuously with extraordinary volume. The Waihou River is . swollen to a huge flood covering miles and miles of plains country, amd though the storm is unabated and the river is rising rapidly, the level at present is practically up to that of the highest flood ever remembered in Te Aroha. STOCK RUSHED TO SAFETY The river rose rapidly, and on the low-lying pastures stock had to be rushed to safety in great haste through water nearly two feet deep even at that time. Quickly communication with Te Aroha West, via the concrete main road, was entirely cut off and water many feet deep covers the road for chains. It is years since suen an expanse and depth has been seen like it. Wairongomai seems just a vast expanse of water covering farmlets, and it is still creeping up to higher land. Unless the storm ceases the Wairongomai Road will be covered. The water laps on the road now in places, but at Mangaiti the flood causes the worst blockage. A GREAT SIGHT Tho road to Paeroa is completely covered through Mangaiti, and there are miles of water. It is a great sight to see tall trees alone peeping out of the flood here. The railway is under water, but the early trains forged their way through the shallow wash. It will not be known till later in the day whether the line can be used again, but as it seems certain that the river will rise a great deal yet, the railway line will soon be covered below the rushing waters of the flood.

The position is serious indeed in Te Aroha itself. The flood is almost up to record mark, and there is every possibility of it invading a greater part of the southern end of the town by the Grand Hotel. In that street already some dwellings and buildings are isolated by flood waters, and people have moved to safer places.

The new traffic bridge is the centre of roaring flood waters, which except for the road to the town itself, cover the land for miles to the norfh and south.

The wharf has disappeared beneath the flood long since, and waters eddy round the store buildings to a depth of six to eight feet and it is still rising. The Power Board’s lines have been very fortunate, and it has been a godsend that the power supply has been maintained throughout without interruption. Not only is the country flooded and under water, but so heavy has been the phenomenal rain and gale, that the country away from the river is like a huge shallow sea covered with grey isles, on which the stock harbour. SCHOOL WORK STOPS Yesterday the attendance at the schools was not seriously affected, but to-day it is. and at Mangaiti and other country schools work has had to come to a standstill.