PHENOMENAL RAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 December 1939, Page 8

PHENOMENAL RAIN

ALMOST A WELLINGTON RECORD SIX INCHES IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. DRY YEAR BECOMES WET ONE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The last two days almost certainly have been the wettest period ever experienced in ’Wellington. During the 24 hours to 9 a.m. on .Monday. 1.77 inches of rain were recorded at Kelbnrn, and for the 24 hours to 9 a.m. today the phenomenal amount of six inches was recorded. The rain then was still not ceased, but it was definitely easing off and the wind had greatly fallen some hours before. Most, of the rain—five inches in fact—fell between 9 a.m. yesterday and midnight. The gale accompanying the rain, a strong south-easterly, reached its maximum at about 8 pm. With a gust of a velocity of 62 miles an hour at Kelbnrn. The force would be much greater in more exposed positions. The temperature has not fallen greatly. Yesterday's maximum was over 60 degrees.

The rain for 24 hours —six inches—is not a Wellington record. On February .25, 1911, there was a fall of 6.32 inches. The two previous heaviest December fells are 3.48 inches and 3.25 inches in 1834 and 1892. The total fall for December is now 9.83 inches, almost seven inches more than the December average of 2.93 inches, bringing what had seemed likely to be a dry year to just over an inch under the yearly average of 42.07 inches, with still more than half the month to go.

WEATHER CLEARING PLANES LEAVE RONGOTAI ON TIME. WELLINGTON, This Day. Despite the weather conditions, the staff at Rongotai were at work at 4 a.m. and the Union Airways plane got away for Auckland at 5 o’clock. Planes for Nelson and Blenheim also got away to time. The weather is evidently clearing. There is a light southerly still blowing, with some rain and an occasional heavy squall.

NO FLOODING AT TRENTHAM MILITARY CAMP. DRAINAGE SYSTEM EQUAL TO TEST. WELLINGTON, This Day. Trentham military camp is not flooded. The drainage system proved a thorough success. RAILWAY DAMAGE BETWEEN CROSS CREEK & KA ITO KE. ALL TRAFFIC PROCEEDING VIA MANAWATU. WELLINGTON, This Day.

Rail services to the Wairarapa are completely interrupted. The storm caused a series of washouts and slips on the Rimutaka Hill and the Department is unable to say when the line will be restored. Trains cannot get past Kaitoke from Wellington, nor past Cross Creek from the Wairarapa and all traffic, both passenger and goods, is proceeding via the Manawatu, the storm not having interrupted the main line to Palmerston North. Passengers on the Woodville-Wel-lington express yesterday had a trying time. They were transferred to buses at Cross Creek, taken back to Featherston and thence by road to Kaitoke. suffering further delay by slips on the highway. They did not reach town till late al. night. The damage to the railway line is extensive. About a chain of bridge just north of Mangaroa Station has been completely hashed away. There is a washout between Kaitoke and the Summit, and near one of the tunnels cn this section a great deal of debris has come down and must bo removed before traffic can be resumed.