THE NORTHERN FLOODS

Wairarapa Age, 30 March 1920, Page 3

THE NORTHERN FLOODS

EXCITING EXPERIENCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 29. Mattliews, his wife and five children, were living in a temporary cottage close to the river at the railway settlement in the Upper Paparoa Valley, some four miles from Paparoa. They were awakened at 4 a.m. by the water, which reached their beds. Matthews swam ashore with the-baby, and, returning, placed the others on top of the dwelling. The flood carried the cottage away, and all were thrown into the swirling water. The father was able to rescue another child. By this time the wife and another child disappeared, and their bodies were recovered later. Pearce, a resident of the settlement, was seen at daylight swimming towards the railway bank. Ho disippeared, anjd Jbis body was recovered later. i One man saved his life by clinging I to a floating hut until he could jump | on to a friendly embankment. . jf A woman was,rescued from a tree,# to which she had clung, clad only in & ber night attire, and holding an infant. | Several others had to take refuge in | trees, and were fortunate to come , through the ordeal alive. One of these, Mrs, Cook, is suffering considerably from shock. • \ It is reported from Waipn Gorge that a motor car dashed into a gap left by the partly-demolished bridge. < The car was wrecked, and the body of j one of the occupants, a retutrned sol-1 dier, has been found. | The loss of life is unknown. $ The chief sufferers by the flood at | Paparoa are Gaff (baker), Sutherland (boarding house), Wilkins (telephone; exchange), C. Taylor, (lino worksj manager). The first three were surprised by rapidly rising waters between 5 and 6 a.m. They telephoned to neighbours for help. The latter were unable to render assistance) as they were isolated by heavy flood water. At Sutherland's boardinghouse the women sought refuge in the attic. The water rope to about three feet above the floor, and then commenced to subside, after seriously damaging house and furniture, and carrying away the outbuildings. Jordan, a blacksmith, had a narrow escape. He sleeps in an office attached to his shop, and woke to hud the water rising in the room. He donned his alothes and swam-to the boardingaouse. Considerable damage has been done to the construction work. j Several bridges on the road from? Maungaturoto have been swept away. Communication with Paparoa town- 1 jhip by vehicle is practically blocked by damaged bridges and landslides. , TORRENTIAL STORM. WHANGAREI, March 29. A torrential storm burst 'over Whangarei on Friday night, and by / midnight had reached, its height. The houses in low-lying parts of the town were in serious danger of inundation. ' The storm was renewed with great fury on Saturday morning, and the rivers in all parts of the country rose to an exceptional height. * A number of bridges were washed away, and serious losses of stock are reported. It is reported that five men lost their lives at Maungaturoto, but this statement has not yet been confirmed. The gdndral damage „ will run into many thousands of pounds. ; „One rumour just received is that a family living in a tent at Huararu was. swept away. j The weather is now fine, but over* cast. I PHENOMENALLY HEAVY RAIN. I GISBORNE, March 29.,, I Phenomenally heavy rain's are re-| ported in the Waiapu district., At* Puketiti and Waipiro, 17 inches f recorded,' and at Tokomaru Bay. :14 © inches. At Ahikoura l between, 5 p.m. * on Friday and 9 a.mv on Saturday nine £ inches fell. ' ! The rivers ; are in heavy flood. ENORMOUS FLOODS. ! GISBORNE, March 29. J A later message from Ruatorea, Wai-'n apu County, stated that 18J inches off rain had fallen in three days up to 91, o'clock this morning, being the|\ heaviest rainfall since February, 1917. |, There are enormous floods in the I. rivers. • ■ The rainfall in Gisborne wa9 two ' ■ iaehes in three days. \ ' ' 1