SERIOUS FLOODING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 February 1940, Page 5

SERIOUS FLOODING

MANY NORTH ISLAND AREAS AFFECTED DISLOCATION OF RAIL AND ROAD TRAFFIC. WANGANUI RIVER REACHES RECORD LEVEL. Heavy rain on Friday night and all day Saturday caused widespread floods in Avest coast districts of the North Island, in some places on an unprecedented scale. Roads and railway lines were blocked throughout the Wanganui district and parts of Taranaki, and late last night there was no AucklandWellington road link intact via the centre or Avest coast of the island. The Wanganui River reached a record high, level and inundated huge areas of lowlying land, causing, it is feared, heavy stock losses. Wanganui city was flooded to the greatest extent on record. The Wanganui River burst its banks at Taumarunui. In the Whangamomona County, Taranaki, every road Avas blocked by the most serious floods in the history of the district. Damage in Raetihi County is estimated at several thousand pounds. Logs 40 and 50 feet in length swept away bridges over the Manganui River. The main trunk line was expected to be clear at midnight last night Avhen. the Auckland express would leave I Taumarunui for Wellington. It should arrive at Wellington about midday.

WORST YET WANGANUI’S EXPERIENCE. TAUPO QUAY INUNDATED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.! WANGANUI, February 25. Huge areas of low-lying country in the Wanganui district were inundated today by the worst flood in the history of the city. Every river on G the coast is running bank high and at high tide, at 11.47 a.m.. the Wanganui River reached a record flood level. At an early hour a punt belonging to the Wanganui Gravel Company, moored above the Dublin Street bridge, broke adrift with two men on it. One man managed to swim ashore in the nick of time and his companion made a dramatic escape when the punt struck a cylinder of the Dublin Street bridge. The punt was hurled away on the turbulent current and later crashed with terrific force into the escalator of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company at Imlay.

The invasion of flood waters on Taupo Quay was on an unprecedented scale. The water poured into the Wanganui’ Rowing Club and Union Boat Club, and the boats were taken to Moutoa Gardens for safety. The Aramoho Boat Club had a difficult task, as the river rose rapidly, and at high tide there was seven feet of water on the ground floor. All the boats were taken to safety. A nearby house soon became swamped, and later the water entered several establishments- on the quay, including, the Federal. Forster’s, and Station hotels.

Upriver reports state that stock losses will be heavy, and this is borne out by the large number of dead stock seen floating down the stream.

HOUSES EVACUATED

DAMAGE AT TAUMARUNUI

SEVERAL AREAS ISOLATED.

TAUMARUNUI, February 25. From 9 p.m. on Friday till 10 p.m. on Saturday 5.8 inches of rain fell. Washouts and slips are reported on roads and railways, and Ohura and Matiere townships are isolated. After three hours’ downpour last night the Wanganui River broke its banks at 10 o'clock and flooded a wide area. On areas in Taumarunui Borough more than 100 homes had to be evacuated and 70 others were surrounded .by water. In some houses the water was two to three feet deep. The domain was flooded to a depth of three feet and is now covered with silt. Bishara’s new timber mill, on the banks of the Wanganui River, a mile from Taumarunui, received the full force of the flood and was badly damaged. Mananui domain was devastated. Two cars .left. stranded on the road at Piriaka were washed down the Wanganui River to Manunui. One was salvaved, but the other is halfburied in gravel. A bridge connecting Winter’s Island with Taumarunui was washed away and six men Were stranded in a house on the island. Water five feet deep rushed through the house like a stream, and the men took refuge on the roof. A four-roomed house was washed 'down the river at Kakahi. but the occupants Were evacuated earlier.

BLOCKAGES EVERYWHERE

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY SUFFERS. ' WATER INVADES HOUSES AND STORES. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 25. EVery road in Whangamomona County Was blocked on Saturday night as a result of the most serious flooding in the county’s history. It will be months before the damage is repaired and in many localities days before even horses can traverse the tracks that can be cleared. Nine inches of rjiin fell at Whangamomona.

Slips and washouts between the Mimi Gorge and the Uruti Valley and on Mount Messenger completely blocked traffic on the Auckland-New Plymouth main road between Urenui and Mokau. It is expected that it will be two days before the road is clear for traffic.

Flood waters surrounded a public works camp at the junction of the Mimi and Mangamahoe Streams, on the Auckland-New Plymouth road, on Saturday and women were rowed to safety. The flood waters entered stores and dwellings at Uruti and Ahititi. Al the small township of Purangi, the Waitara River rose 40 feet, five feel higher than the previous known record in 1905. A store and boardinghouse were flooded to a depth of over three feet., and other houses on the township flat were also flooded. Four families were removed by motor-lorry to the school, where they sheltered on Saturday night. A Maori woman. Mrs Wain, over 70 years of age, who had been ill for some time, died while ing removed. The Stratford Okahukura railway line was blocked by slips yesterday morning between Tangarakau and Mangaparo. Two trains were caught between two lots of slips.

MAIN TRUNK LINE

SEVERAL TRAINS DELAYED. PASSENGERS MAROONED. AUCKLAND, February 25. Rail traffic on the Main Trunk was delayed by extensive slips and washouts between Te Kuiti and Taihape. Six trains which had already loft Auckland were slopped. They included two Saturday afternoon expresses from Auckland, two from Wellington, a special territorial troop train for the military camp at Waiouru. and the return weekend excursion which left for Wellington at 3.5 p.m. today. All.

were moving again by five o'clock this afternoon, and it was estimated that (he line would be clear by 9 o’clock tonight. Almost 2000 travellers were affected. Nearly 500 people in south-bound trains were compelled to camp in their carriages at Te Kuiti. while the same number from the south stayed at Ohakune. The 500 men in the troop train were held at Taumarunui. and another 200 excursionists returning to Wellington were delayed at Frankton.