HEAVY RAIN AND FLOOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 95, 21 April 1906, Page 3

HEAVY RAIN AND FLOOD.

DAMAGE IW SOUTHLAND.

FIREMAN DROWNED AT GORE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ■ . . . CHRISTCETJKCH, this day. ! After twenty days of fine weather,'. during which rain fell only one hour, j rain began last night, and tell heavily I for several hours, casing off about ten; o'clock to-day. Most of the low: .lying I streets are ilooded, owing to a utumn. leaves choking the culverts. The obstrue-1 tions were soon removed. Bealcy river,' is a foot above its normal height, and I rain is still falling there. - " IXVERCARGILL, this day. \ ■ The Apirama and Otautau rivers are I in flood, and there are 2 feet of water in i the main street. The Otautau railway line has been washed away, and the train was unable to get through this morning. Farmers in low-lying country are likely to be seriously "affected. Rain fell : continuously for 24* hours, but has now i ceased. A fireman named .T. Biirgois. employed J on the Waikaka dredge, was coming-"off J shife at eight o'clock thia morning in a j punt with a mate, when the punt got into the stream. The river was in flood, and the punt half filled. Both men jumped opt, and Burgois was drowned. No further particulars are available. Heavy rain during the past 24 hours has caused floods in all the local streams. ] The bulk of the oat crops are still out, I some being uncut. The outlook for farmers is most gloomy, and the completion of the harvest is postponed' indefinitely.