THE OMOANA STORM.
A TRACK OF DESTRUCTION. , DAMAGE TO ROADS. The Eltham County Engineer, who re-, turned from Moeroa on Friday, gave an Argus representative a few interesting details. The storm, he said, appeared to be due to a rainstorm coming from the direction of Pukengahu and another from the direction of Hawepa, which met just north of the Mangamingi Ridge At this point the cloud-burst appeared to have started. From there it travelled in a straight line eastward, crossing the Rawhitiroa Road obliquely at Matemateao-nga and thence over Mr. A. McWilliam’s farm—keeping about two miles to the south of the main road—as far as Moeroa. At that point it turned south down the Moeawatea Valley and then westward on a line approximately four miles south of its easterly course. It struck the Whenuakura Valley about four miles south of Mr. McWilliam’s farm.
The track of the storm was about 1% miles wide, and a very noticeable track of slips was to be seen on all the ridges following the course outlined above.
While the ram had been exceptionally heavy on that track, it was also intense over a wider area. At least seven inches of rainfall was recorded by Mr. Robertson, at Matemateaongu., and by Mr. Flyger, at Moeroa, whilst there was every indication that no less than 12 inches fell on Mr. McWilliam’s property, and on Mr. Buckman’s place at Lower Moeawatea.
The worst damage done to the Rawnitiroa Road between Eltham and Moeroa occurred near the Mangatoromiro bridge, and from there it is comparatively slight except where it crosses valleys extending southwards to the storm area. The Whenuakura Valley road suffered most, and is completely washed out in many places. The road running south from Moeroa to Waverley is almost as bad, while roads to the north of the Rawhitiroa Road have escaped with only very slight damage. A considerable number of roadmen, aided by settlers, are working on the whole length of the road, and horses were ridden through as far as Mr. Flyger’s farm at Moeroa on Thursday morning. A gang of men sent out by the Public Works Department commenced work at Matemateaonga on Saturday morning, and, if the weather remains fine should have a lorry road open to Omoana in four or five days. Mr. Fitzgerald emphasised the fact that present improving conditions were dependent entirely upon tine weather, pointing out that a very little rain would bring down sufficient slips to again cdmpletely block the whole road.
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Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1922, Page 7
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415THE OMOANA STORM. Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1922, Page 7
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