TWO HOURS’ STORM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 108, 16 February 1935, Page 3

TWO HOURS’ STORM

SWIMMING IN AUCKLAND STREET ROADS AND BASEMENTS FLOODED (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, February 15. Torrential rain of exceptional severity fell in Auckland and suburbs this afternoon, causing considerable damage in shops and warehouses in the lower parts of the city and in lowlying areas in the suburbs. Heavy min in, the early hours of the morning was followed by warm, humid conditions, but shortly after 1 o’clock the weather again became thick, and, following a minor cloudburst, the storm broke in full force and continued unabated for two hours. The rain was accompanied by a mild electrical storm. By four o’clock the wind, which had been light from the north-east, swung round to the south-west with a quick improvement in conditions, allowing thousands of shoppers who had been marooned under shop verandahs for most of the afternoon to make for their homes.

The total fall from midnight to 4 p.m. was 4.40 inches, of which probably 3J inches fell during the afternoon. At the height of the storm tiie rain was falling at the rate of two inches an hour, and with the city drainage system failing to cope with the water the streets were awash and flood wafers entered many basements in the business area. Worst for Many Years. A dozen young men had the unusual experience of swimming almost in the heart of the city. Wearing on'y football shorts, they plunged around up to their waists in the water in Fort Street, Lane, in an effort to locate and clear some of the storm-water gratings, and in the intervals of their labours they swam 1 about and even took shallow dives before a large number of amused spectators. Fort Street Lane and the warehouses abutting on it always suffer when a heavy rainfall coincides with a fairly high tide, but to-day’s experience is considered to have* been the worst case of flooding for many years. By 4.30 the water was over three feet deep at the lowest part of the lane. In many warehouses the cellars were flooded to a depth of two feet and over. In one warehouse the solid concrete floor was cracked open by subterraneafi water pressure, and the whole cellar was covered to a depth of two feet. The flood showed no signs of receding, and finally an engine from the Central Fire Brigade Station was dispatched-to the scene. Two leads were connected with a powerful pump and are lane was pumped dry. In Fort Street a large area ol wooden paving blocks was forced up by pressure of water from an overloaded main. The basements and cellars or many business premises on both sides o Queen Street, between the Victoria Street and Quay Street intersections, were flooded during the downpour, with consequent damage to fittings and stock. In spite of the valiant efforts of bucket brigades, miniature lakes, in some cases more than four feet deep, formed below the ground level in many establishments, and a fire engine from the Central 'Station was employed until a> late hour in reducing the water levels. It was equipped with a special pump. Water Invades a Shop. The Queen Street premises of the Farmers’ Trading Company, Limited, suffered severely. Before 4 o clock water began to flow into the shop on the ground floor through a door giving access to the outside landing. It was soon ankle deep, and the situation became so serious that the shop had to be closed. While barefooted .employees armed with buckets endeavoured to reduce the level, an army of girl assistants swept the water out of the shop with brooms. Meanwhile, gallons of water had poured down lift well and through the floor into the tea rooms beneath. Men worked jn relays at pumping, but the flood continued to gain. Chairs and tables were cleared, the linoleum was taken up, and about 20 barefooted waitresses worked feverishly with brooms. With water pouring down from all parts of the ceiling, the kitchen rapidly became flooded. After considerable damage had been caused to the wallpaper and fittings, the invasion was finally stemmed. Serious damage was caused to stock in premises in Fort Street Lane. The flood invaded the warehouse of John Burns and Company, Limited, the ground floor being covered to a depth of about two feet. It was stated that the damage was about £4OO. The establishment of Ryland Brothers, netting and wire importers, also suffered ; and while the loss was difficult to estimate it was considered to be about £3OO.

A curious scene was presented in the basement of* a men’s outfitters’ shop in Lower Queen Street. It was flooded within two feet of the ceiling, and on the surface of the water floated a collection of hat-boxes and window-dressing equipment. Protruding from the water was the arm of a tailor’s dummy.