MANAWATU TRAIN DISASTER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 268, 24 August 1946, Page 4

MANAWATU TRAIN DISASTER

I SEARCH FOR MISSING MEN DIVER MAY BE EMPLOYED (P.A.) PALMERSTON, N., Aug. 23. Engineers and workmen are preparing to salvage the railway engine and vehicles now lying in the Manawatu River. A Wellington Harbour Board diver will probably make a descent to-morrow to search the cab ! of the engine for the bodies of the j missing members of the train's | crew. | Two 40-ton cranes will bq used to | salvage the engine. The attempt will |be made on Sunday, when the line | will be clear of traffic. No special dif- | ficulty is expected in lifting a truck j and the waggons, but it may be neces- | sary to construct a small jetty and i other special equipment for lifting the j engine. The tender will be detached j first, and other operations will depend | upon how the locomotive is situated, | and to what extent it is out of the | water when the river level is normal. | The river is dropping quickly, and | the nose of the engine is now visible. I Mail salvage operations were made j easier with the mail waggon being uni covered. The next waggon is also Tartly uncovered, although . heavily loaded with silt. All the salvaged mail is identifiable. Serious Flooding While flooding has occurred in other parts of the Manawatu, that in the Makerua area was the most serious. Late yesterday afternoon there was little hope of early relief. Water was still pouring through a break in the western stop-bank of the Tokomaru River. A large area was flooded and homesteads were isolated. Settlers in some cases had to leave their homes. Stock suffered seriously from exposure, and there, have been considerable deaths among lambs. Tops of stopbanks and roads clear of water are being used" as places of refuge for stock. Losses, especially of newly-born lambs, are reported from the hill country, and great difficulty is being experienced in milking. Snow which has fallen heavily on the ranges will keep the streams fairly full, but if the Manawatu . River continues to fall it is hoped that the Tokomaru River will be under control within 12 hours. In the Pohangina Valley a large landslide occurred, blocking the Pohangina-Utuwai Road. The side of a hill came down, taking the road, I fences, and everything else in its path. 1 It is expected that the road will be ! blocked for some time.