Disastrous floods in Western Australia. Perth, February 6.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 242, 18 February 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

Disastrous floods in Western Australia. Perth, February 6.

The Government resident at Geraldton telegraphed yesterday to the Colonial Secretary From Walkaway station via Dongarra, at 6 p.m., as follows : — The heaviest flood ever known in the district took place last night. It inundated the front of Greenoagh Flat and a considerable portion of the baok flats. At 7 o'clock this morning it was reported to me by the traffic manager that he had just received a telegraphic message stating that as far as the eye could reach the northward railway line was under water, that several persons on the back flats were known to have been on their house roofs all night, and that several were supposed to be in imminent danger. I, with Inspector Roweand two boats properly manned, went from Geraldton by train for this place, fir3t commissioning Crowther to represent me at Geraldton, and on behalf of the Government to do everything that might be possible to Becure resident* on the lower front flats whence no tidings had been heard. At the fourteen-milecrosaingwemettheflood waters and the train was unable to proceed further. The boats were put on a trolly, and in this way we proceeded 12 miles. Then we had to take to the boats. From this spot to within a quarter of ft mile of Walkaway the railway formation was almost completely washed away, the sleepers having been undermined, and,jbhe line oeing under water, .the latter, in many places, being,about sft. de«p over the line, and much deeper on each Bide A good defrl of fencing is swept away, and I estimate that about two miles of line will have to be renewed. On the way we passed about 300 sheep drowned in the flood and stopped by the fence. After some difficulty, owing to the extent, rapidity, and depth of the flood, we armed Here about noon and did what we could to render assistance, the Government resident having stated that no lives wore loit on the black Hate. He enumerates the loe*ea sustained by the farmers in that part of Greenoagh, which are heavy. He next deoqribea the appearance of the front flats, which, he states, looking from the police station, op-, pear to be a sheet of water. , In some places, where the ground is very low, the waters are from 6ft to 10ft deep and cover the tops of some of the low6r houses. A man named j Bridgeman and a little child had been on i the roof of a fanner's house all night j and yesterday. Mrs Bridgeman was washed away. Yesterday the Catholic i Church was almost completely submerged, , and Maley'a Hotel, wbicfi stands on an eminence, was half filled with water. The current was very strong. A Jarge body of water is milling in a westerly direction towards the sea. Ojaly' two houses remain unttinroundtd by water. They stand on a coseidfrab. le height above the. -flats. Mr Brown/ r c9wludes pj abating that the * flood is 'undoubtedly abating rapidly. The telegraph line was washed down for some, milci. He was obliged to take the telegram across the river and despatch it via Pongarr*. '