THE AUSTRALIAN FLOODS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 452, 8 March 1890, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN FLOODS.

SEVERE STORM IN SY'DNEY. GREAT DAMAGE DONE. The very heavy rain which fell throughout New South Wales a few aays ago uid very considerable damage, farms being submerged, rivers overflowing the surrounding country, and life endangered. On the morning ot the 20th ult. very heavy rain fell in Sydney. The gutters and sewers proved quite inadequate to carry oil’ tiie great rush of water, and many parts of the city suffered. The streets became huge sheets of water, which gradually extended over the footpaths and into the shops. Many houses and business premises were submerged to the extent of several inches, and in the lower parts of Woolloumooloo the depth of water must have been several feet. All traffic was suspended for a while, both vehicular and foot, and the trams ceased running on certain lines. In some cases motors and cars were derailed, and in others the rain beat in and puo out tbo fires on the engines. Tho railway trains also ran at a very slow rate, sections of the line being under water and for the time being unsafe. Circular Quay, Cowper Wharf, Woolloomooloo, and George street West in the city presented a strange appearance, being more like vast lakes than anything else. At the last-named place, near Blackfriars Estate, the water was 2ft or 3ft deep, and several enterprising owners of lorries made money by carrying passengers across to the incline nearer the city. In the suburbs, along the lllawarra line and elsewhere, very considerable damage was done. The Hunter River at West Maitland rose to a height of 31 feet above its normal level, and immense damage was done. It is computed that the farmers in the Maitland district lost, in value of crops alone, some ±’30,000 by the floods. Last week the river at Maitland came to a standstill, and then subsided. The Mayor and aldermen, backed up by a large staff of men, worked energetically both night and day to prevent bl.e inundation of the town at weak spots, and prevented large quantities ot water from flowing over the river banks and spreading ruin in all directions. A boy named Abrahams was drowned at the Belmore Bridge. He was looking on with a number of other youths, when by some means, not clearly explained, he fell into the raging torrent, and was seen no more. The lad’s father was close at hand, but could do nothing to avert the catastrophe. The surrounding country for miles was under water, and people were forced to leave their homes and farms for safety. The Hood was one of the biggest on record in Australia. The residents at Scone were rescued in carts. The river Macquarie also rose, and a portion of the railway line between Nyngan and Coolobah was washed away, stopping the progress of trains.