ALARM IN DUNEDIN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3828, 9 June 1891, Page 2

ALARM IN DUNEDIN.

THE SEA BREAKS THROUGH THE SAND HILLS.

PART OF ST. KILDA FLOODED.

PROPERTY HOLDERS ALARMED.

Dunedin, June 8.

Considerable alarm was caused on the flat to-day by the extraordinary high tide and heavy sea on at Ocean Beach, and in the afternoon it became evident that a breach would be made in the band hills at St, Hilda road, close to the Central Battery. At 4.80 p.m. the sea had oat a channel through, and there was a strong scream flowing up the Pt. Hilda road for about 8000 yards, which spread on. the low-lying ground. This being the first experience of the kind, many of the inhabitants prepared to leave their houses; but as the channel was cut through within a shore time of high'water, nothing serious happened. Steps were at once taken to dam 'back the water for" the next tide by filling up .the channel and placing bags full of sand as a protection. At St Clair the-remaining portion of the sea wall has disappeared, l and most of the Esplanade has been washed away.

The next high tide will probably see several sections of land swallowed up as there is nothing but the line of sandhills, now rapidly being eaten away, between the ocean at St Hilda, South Dunedin, and part of Caversham.

The residents and property owners are very considerably alarmed.

, Latbb. The work of filling qp the ohaunel cut by the,sea at Ocean .Beaoh was finished about 7 o'clock, but nothing will bekpfcwn of the result till 4 a.m. Wigllrind, which had died away, is jPWning up again; The damage 'none by-the breach is praoticallv confined to gardens.