HEAVY WEATHER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 76, 20 September 1911, Page 5

HEAVY WEATHER

NELSON INUNDATED. DAMAGE TO BRIDGES, CROPS AND STOCK. By Telegraph—press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Three dayg of almost continuous heavy ram have caused flooded rivers and some damage to portions of low-lying land. Nelson was inundated for a time. Damage lias been done to the recent work of the Beautifying Society at Co)- ' lingwood. The red light beacon has been carried away. The Nelson 4.30 train yesterday was unable to proceed safely beyond Tapawera owing to washouts on the line, and the passengers, booked for further stations, were found lodgings for the night. It 19 improbable that this morning's tram will get beyond Tapawera. Wairoa and Waiti rivers are over their banks, and the approaches to the bridge are undermined. Communication with Belgrove and Main road is cut off. The rain has now ceased and a cold snap has set in, with snow on the hills. At Motueka the flood is within three inches of the "old man" flood of 34 years ago. The water broke through the Whatorewa protective worfts and poured into the town, being six inches deep in High street. Many houses in the low-lying parts were inundated. The flood reached its maximum height' at 4 a.m. to-day, but a heavy fall of snow on the ranges, saved the situation. The crops have sustained damage and * ' several sheep were drowned at Ngatimote. A pier of the new suspension- bridge , was thrown out of the perpendicular, and at Lower Moutere the approach to the new bridge was washed away. The Nelson creek is being got over by taking out horses.

FLOODS IN BLENHEIM. Blenheim, Tuesday. The land about Tnamarina is inundated by flood waters from the Wairau and the coach to Nelson had to return to Blenheim as the water was too deep to get through. COLD WEATHER AT OAMARU. Onmarn, Tuesday. After heavy rain .the weather was bitterly cold this morning. Sleet and slight snow showers have fallen on the lower levels. IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. Tinuim, Las,t Night. The cold southerly gale continues. There were only a few showers to-day, but it was raining again to-night, with a heavy sea on the coast. Tairlie., reports that the snow has disappeared from the flats but remains on the hills. STEAMERS DELAYED. Wellington, Last Night. The strong southerly gale continues. At 11.30 to-night the Mokoia, which left at 8 p.m. for the south, had only got about eight miles from the Heads. The Inilralema and the Tarawera, which left Napier on Monday afternoon for Wellington, have not jjut in an appearance.