LARGE AREAS INUNDATED.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 76, 29 March 1920, Page 5

LARGE AREAS INUNDATED.

MUCH DAMAGE REPORTED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI. Saturday. Reports from outside districts indicate great flood damage, due to the rapid j rising of creeks. The Wairua River i flowed over its banks, inundating the ad- 1 jacent flats to a depth of four feet, the ! rise being approximately sixteen feet in j eight hours. At Titoki, it is reported, j Mr. Eenton Eraser lost a number of \ sheep on tlie Hat, while losses of stock ; are also reported from Parakao. The . flood has reached the level of Mangaka- j hia bridge. Round the Wharcora and j Tahere districts the roads are reported ; to be impassable for two miles. At I Otaki bridges are under water, while Cowards' bridge, an old • structure, has had its middle tier _arrie*d away. Many slips on roads are reported, there being a serious one on Maunu i Hill. i Whangarei's electric light supply is threatened, there being nearly five feet of water round the power station at Wai- j rua falls. Thirty thousand feet of timber belong- ! ing to Mr. Alcock was swept away towards the harbour. There is a report of loss of life at Wairua bridge, but, owing I to difficulty of telephonic communication, \ this has not been confirmed. . j In Whangarei town all low-lying land ! is several feet under water, gardens and i fowl pens suffering severely. At neon j to-day water was flowing into shops in j Bank Street. Drainage works at Kensington and Vinetown have suffered a great set-back, trenches being filled and spoil scattered. The permanent railway line between Whangarei and Opua has | stood well, the only slip and washout ; reported, so far, being at Ruatangata. It . is reported that the new railway con- | struction work on the M_}in Trunk line ! has suffered severely, big'slips occurring ■ at a cutting beyond Portland. It is | said that months will be required to overtake the damage. A new launch jetty at Victoria Bridge was swept away.