Floods in the South.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4883, 3 September 1884, Page 2

Floods in the South.

Heavy Damage and Loss of Life.

[Pee Pbess Association.]

■Wellington, Last night. A very heavy north-west gale has been blowing since Sunday, with heavy rain. The Hutt river was in heavy flood, but is now falling rapidly. One of the breakwaters on the river has been carried away. Both the Euamahanga and Waingawa rivers are higher than during any flood on record, and (he Waingawa railway bridge, on the Wellington-Masterton railway has been washed away. It will take a month at least before through traffic can be resumed. All the low-lying land between Woodside and Matarawa is under water, acid a landslip has also occurred at the Siberia Bend, where the liimutaka accideut took place.

At Westport the body of a man was found on tho seabeach this morning. It is supposed to be that of Thos. Mahoney, missing from Fern Fiat, above Lyell, since the last week in July. The body has floated upwards of sixty. miles in the flood at present running in the river. Mastebton, Last night. The Waipoua river has overflowed its banks near the railway works. There is a heavjr flood in town.

J. Peterson, an elderly man in charge of Macara's farm at Opaki, was drowned to-day at W aipoua, while trying to, rescue sheep from flooded lands.

This day. Last night's flood washed away the embankment of the Waingawa Railway Bridge, suspending traffic, aud passengers bate to be sent by coach. The new railway bridge beyond Masterton station blocked the Waipoua river, and flooded the northern part of the towD, doing considerable damage to-roads and fences, the bridge itself being destroyed. Communication between Masterton and the north is cut off by the embankment of the Waipuna bridge giving way. There were two feet of miter in the town, but when the railway bridge near the station gave way the water subsided rapidly. Several families residing near the river were imperilled, and it is rumored that the Tenui mailman has been drowned. The police are making enquiries. Woodville, This day. Two Lives Lost. A.terrible fatality occurred here last night, whereby two women were drowned. Bain fell yesterday and all last night in torrents, and as a result the .Manawatu

river rose with great rapidity. H. McKenzie, contractor for the Manawatu railway bridge, four miles from here, lived in a house on a raised piece of ground on the bank of the river. Shortly after midnight he found his house being surrounded by water, and a raft was made for the purpose of getting the people away from the house* Shortly after 3 o'clock a first attempt was made, the raft being occupied by Mrs McKenzie and son, Mrs Feasey and husbaud, and a man named McMillan. When crossing, the raft struck a snag, and capsized ; all the occupants got safely on board again, but the steering pole was lost, and the raft siaept again into the surging currents of the main stream. Again the raft struck a snag and capsized, the three men somehow getting ashore, and were picked up nearly insensible ; but the two^ women were drowned, and there seems little hope of ever recovering the bodies. Mrs McKenzio has been living in Dunedin, and only came to VVoodville on Monday last. Mr McKenzie has lost a great quantity of timber, and the sinking machinery has been submerged. Traffic is stopped at the Gorge and Masterton. The ferry main road to Masterton is under water for nearly a mile. . No losjik of stock is. yet reported.

Wanganui, This day. The railway line between here and Tarakina is flooded in several -places, and the morning train could not pass. The water is rising, -and it will probably be some days before direct communication is restored. There is a heavy fresh in the river.