FLOODS COVER RAILWAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 719, 19 July 1929, Page 11

FLOODS COVER RAILWAY

TRAFFIC INTERRUPTED SOME SETTLERS MAROONED Press Association DUNEDIN, Thursday. Heavy rain and the melting of snow in the back country have resulted in the most serious flood experienced in the Taieri Plain since 1923, when Dunedin, too, was inundated. From a short distance south of Allanton to Henley is a huge expanse of water, covering the railway line to a depth of over 3ft. The Main South Road in one portion is covered to a depth of 6ft. One of the most seriously affected portions of the plain is at Berwick, where homes have been inundated, and several settlers are marooned. Some are taking refuge in lofts. As a result of the flooding of the railway line train traffic south of Mosgiel was suspended today, and it is thought unlikely that the service will be resumed tomorrow. At Bushey, on the North Road, floods have closed the road, but the railways are unaffected. Mails were carried by lorry between Dunedin and Milton today, but one of the vehicles is still held up at Henley. Owing to the rising of the river the service on the Outram branch line is likely to be suspended for some days. Waipori reports that water has invaded the basement of the powerhouse.

BRIDGES WASHED AWAY

damage near timaru SNOW FALLS IN PLACES Press Association TIMARU, Thursday. South Canterbury is at present in the grip of the worst flood experienced for many years. Steady rain set in on Monday and continued almost without a break until early last evening. The fact that a heavy southerly sea has been running all the week has prevented the flood waters from getting away. A fair amount of damage has been done to roads and property on the low country near the coast, but the full effect of the storm has been made apparent in the Mackenzie Country, where bridges and their approaches have been washed away and runholders marooned. Temuka is cut off by road both north and south, and Timaru is in a similar position. There were 3ft of snow in some parts of the Mackenzie Country yesterday morning, and snow fell at intervals throughout the day. In Timaru the rainfall up till 5 p.m. today was 4in, but there has been little since that hour. Indications are that the worst is over.

FLOOD WATERS RECEDE

POSITION IN CANTERBURY Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Today. Flood waters are now receding in North Canterbury and fine weather prevails. The breaks on the Lake Coleridge electric-power line caused by snow yesterday have been repaired. As a result of very heavy rain the main south road at Hinds, 12 miles from Ashburton, was blocked yesterday, and the access roads to Methven were impassable. No extensive damage has been reported, although a few sheep have been drowned in the Methven district. The rainfall on Wednesday was 2.2 in, the heaviest for some years. The total since Sunday is 3.32 in.