FLOOD AT PAHIATUA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1942, Page 3

FLOOD AT PAHIATUA

MANY STREETS UNDERWATER considerable damage. SLIPS BLOCK MANY ROADS. The worst effects of the storm which swept the southern portion of the North Island yesterday were evident in the area between Eketahuna and Pahiatua. Road and rail communications in the district are blocked. Torrents of water have been rushing down the streets of Pahiatua and over the main highway between Pahiatua and Eketahuna. Huge slips have occurred in places, and the sides of cuttings have collapsed under the pressure of the water. The tops of fences were covered by water for miles in the worst areas. Late last night there were indications that the peak of the flooding had been reached in those areas, and that the water was subsiding. Residents of Pahiatua cannot remember a. flood of such magnitude. It is stated to be the worst for at least 50 years. Relief parties had to be called out with a boat to rescue the occupants of twoi houses—those of Messrs J. Campbell and J. Olsen—which were flooded out on the Mangatainoka Road. Water two to three feet deep was swirling down both sides of Main Street early last night, but by 10.30 p.m. it was noticed that the level was receding and the river tributaries were subsiding a little. It was still raining hard, but the worst appeared to be over.

STREETS CLOSED. Stock was removed from numbers of shops yesterday, and Main Street and six side streets were closed to traffic. Houses, in many of which there was a foot of water, had to be evacuated in Dawson, Tyndall and Cambridge streets, and Mangahao Road. There were suggestions that the flooding at Pahiatua might have been accentuated by the bursting of a dam on the Makakahi Stream, but it was impossible last night to establish the position. It was reported that the water had risen to an exceptional height at Kaitawa, where the decking of the steel lattice bridge was practically awash. Numbers of cars were abandoned on >the main highway toward Eketahuna. Streets in Pahiatua became raging torrents when flooded streams burst their banks and poured down. Between 1 a.m. and 5 p.m. yesterday 4.16 inches of rainfall were recorded in the town itself. Some shop premises; were flooded to a depth of two feet and quantities of stock were ruined. Small cars were marooneed in various parts of the town, and at intersections of the main street a boat was used to establish a ferry service across deep water.

STATE OF EMERGENCY.

Tlie Public Trust Office, the Bank of New South Wales, and the P. and T. Buildings were flooded. Business was entirely suspended shortly after midday, and a state of emergency was declared by the deputy-mayor, Mr F. J. Judd, who went about his civic duties with his trousers rolled up above his knees.

It was impossible to walk up any street in Pahiatua without being kneedeep in water late yesterday. People were going about barefooted or in thigh boots, and furniture was stacked on tables to place it out of reach of the water. It was stated that, the E.P.S. organisation was working very effectively. . Severe damage has been done in the country districts, where there axe heavy losses of stock, and all sti’eams are in high flood. Near Konini the dairy factory is deeply surrounded by water, and it is inaccessible fox’ dairy supply. The Makakahi, Tiraumea and Mangatainoka Rivers have all broken their banks and flooded .wide areas.

ROADS BLOCKED.

There are ‘bad slips in the . Makuri Gorge and subsidences and slips have made every other road impassible. Both the Pongaroa-Pahiatua and Pon-garoa-Masterton roads are blocked. Mail deliveries in these sections are held up. Only 15 months ago these roads were devastated by floods, and it took three months to restore them to normal condition. The Manawatu River has backed up across the road between Woodville and Pahiatua. The water there was growing deeper last night as the Manawatu River continued to rise in high flood. . ~ The Pahiatua-Ballance Road, the Pahiatua-Pongaroa roads, and the Pa-hiatua-Kaitiawa Road were all reported to be blocked by slips, some of which were very big. The Hamua Gorge, between Pahiatua and Eketahuna, was completely blocked to traffic. A big slip was reported in the Manawatu Gorge last night, but one-way traffic was possible. Debris was still falling. Numbers of slips on the Rimutaka Road were restricting traffic to one-way. Just over four inches, of rain, were recorded in Wellington in a pexiod oi 35 hours, up to 8.30 o’clock last night. A slip on the Wadestown tram route blocked one line and other slips are reported elsewhere in the city and the surrounding area, including one on the Johnsonville suburban line, which was also blocked. It was possible this morning to proceed from Pongaroa to Masterton via Jackson’s Road.