Australian Floods.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 456, 22 March 1890, Page 5

Australian Floods.

The Clarence has been visited by the highest known flood, exceeding the great 1887 flood by about a foot, and reaching exactly 27ft. at Grafton. Unlike former floods, the river, owing to the continuous rain, accompanied most of the time with a strong south-east gale, rose slowly, and thus gave residents abundant opportunity of making preparations. Still few expected that such a high flood would result, and no little consternation was caused by the river rising to the height it did. Nearly the whole of the city was submerged, and the area uncovered by water would not in all exceed two acres, the highest portion being part of Queen-street, between the Baptist Church and the hospital. Even : his was intersected with sheets of water, and dry spots were literally covered with HORSES, CATTLE, AND PIGS TAKING REFUGE. On Monday of last week the water, which had been rising for • two days previously, entered the lower portions of the town, and that evening some of the business places and the main s';reet were flooded. Messages from Copmanhurst, Tabulam, and other stations on Monday evening created some apprehension, and- everybody commenced packing their goods and placing them above the former flood level. The losses to business stocks will therefore on this occasion be considerably less than with the flood of three years ago, though some of the business men will be heavy losers. There are only two business places in the city that were not visited by water, which reached its maximum height late on Tuesday, having been rising since the Thursday previous. The water broke over with great force at the foot of Prince and Villiers streets, and for a considerable distance from the old Company’s wharf upwards, while at South Grafton the river poured over its banks in an UNBROKEN SHEET A MILE WIDE and several feet deep. In Duke-street and the lower parts of the city many houses were almost covered over the roofs. The whole of the banks, the School of Arts, and the Lands Offices were entered by the water. Boats plied in all directions through streets rescuing people from danger. Many took refuge in the Public School, the Baptist Church, the Oddfellows’ Hall, the Post-Office, and other places. A number sought shelter in the Courthouse, which was dry last great flood, but were driven out by the entering water and took refuge in the Cathedral. The water was fully ten feet in the Wesleyan Church and German Church, and both Presbyterian churches were flooded. Some of the houses in Prince - street were submerged to within a foot of their balcony. The water reached a lamp in front of the Commercial Hotel, and went over the eaves of the Market Hotel and several places adjacent. Business places in this quarter sustained considerable damage. The whole of the racecourse was covered, also Fisher Park, and in every direction there is nothing to be seen but great sheets of water, broken only by immersed houses and clumps of trees. THE DAMAGE. The waters next morning commenced receding. The damage done cannot yet be estimated, but it must be enormous, especially to farmers, who by the visitation three years back lost nearly the whole of their crops, and this season will fare fully as badly, as only a small portion was marketed. This calamity following the other so speedily must ruin many agriculturists, and the trade of the district must suffer in a corresponding degree. The prospect of the district at present is anything but cheering, and during its history IT NEVER LOOKED WORSE. At Copmanhurst on Tuesday the river rose to over 72ft, but at this time it commenced to fall. At Tabulam the rise was 42ft. At neither of these places was the river up to the height of the flood in 1887, showing that the southern branches are heavily flooded, but from them no information has been received. In fact, there is yet nothing to hand from the outlying parts of the district. On the lower river the flood must have been very high, owing to its being backed up by a heavy sea on the bar. On Tuesday evening the whole of the telegraph lines connecting with Grafton were interrupted ; but though the water was several feet deep in the South Grafton offiee, several messages from Copmanhurst were received and at some risk conveyed bv BOAT ACROSS THE RIVER. The whole of the business portions of South Grafton were submerged, in cases over the eaves of the houses ; but in nearly all instances the contents were moved above flood reach. The City of Grafton and Helen Nicoll anchored off the city during the whole of the flood, and cannot leave for some days yet. On Wednesday night the river fell 20ft at Copmanhurst. On this occasion the backwaters rose very high all over the district, entering many places that were considered out of flood reach. The flood waters extinguished the gas early Tuesday night, and lighting by this method cannot be restored for some days. The inundated city in the darkness presents a peculiarly desolate appearance. At CofFs Harbour, Bucca Creek, Woolgoolga, and other places on the coast, the rainfall has been very heavy, flooding the whole of that portion of the country. At these places the residents, owing to the bad state of the roads, have been unable to obtain supplies for some considerable time back, and provisions are now very short. Orara River is again very high. THE NARRABRI FLOOD. The river at 'Narrabri fell 18 inches during Wednesday night, but it is expected to rise again when the upper waters reach here. Doctor's Creek is about half-a-mile wide. The body of one of the Carr children was found in the fork of a tree in the Eulah Creek. The mother and three children are missing. The house was complete'y carried away. Carr’s child took the prize at the last baby show. Two men were rescued yesterday from an island in an exhausted condition. The police and other boats are out day and night. A volunteer crew, Messrs J. Brown, C. Dand, A. Graham, Sergeant Smith, and others, exerted themselves in the work. Stock are drowned in all directions. 300 sheep were yesterday rescued out of Collins Park. Mr Kenyon, P.M., has kindly placed the courthouse and police barracks at the disposal of the flooded-out families, and this has been extensively taken advantage of. The Mayor called a special meeting yesterday to organise relief, and appointed men to watch the points of danger. Messrs Mosely, Collins, Tranter, Parker, Gately, and Saunders worked with horses and vehicles all day yesterday in rescuing people in danger. A man named Grant is missing, supposed I to be drowned. ' The weather is now fine.