TOWN'S ORDEAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 66, 18 March 1944, Page 6

TOWN'S ORDEAL

WHAKATANE FLOOD

OHOPE ALSO SUFFERS

(Special) WHAKATANE, this day I Whakatane presented a dismal scene this morning when all available labour in the town was called upon to remove the ravages of yesterday's flooding—the worst ever recorded in the borough. ! The postmaster reported that, fol- ! lowing heavy rain all Thursday I night and a cloudburst yesterday i morning, all the small creeks from | the back of the town were heavily flooded and burst their banks. When I the waters reached the town they flooded the whole of the business area to a depth of two or three feet. In a few minutes the Maraetotara Stream and Wairere Falls above the Strand were converted into raging torrents, the waters sweeping down upon the residential and business areas, damaging stock, and depositing silt and debris over roadways and gardens. The rain ceased suddenly shortly after the cloudburst, and since then the weather has been clear and fine, with no threat of further downpours. The waters receded from the business area during the morning as rapidly as they invaded it, leaving a trail of silt, logs and other debris in the area.

| Impounded Waters Diverted ! The gravest fears for the safely of the town were entertained at one stage, as a result of the impounding of a large volume of flood water behind a blocked culvert at Hillcrest, where a lake about a mile and a half long and a quarter of a mile wide formed against the iamp of earthwork some SOft above the business section of the town. On the advice of the borough enginer, Mr. W. S. Henderson, the Mayor, Mr. B. S. Barry, ordered the evacuation of the business premises in the Strand. Meanwhile, many borough workmen were set to work to divert the gathering pressure by digging a side channel, this being completed about 1 p.m., and, as a result, the lovel of the water gradually dropped about 2ft. The danger was thus lessened, but was not removed, and men were posted to watch the lake throughout last night.

This morning the task of removing the threat of a sudden wall of water being released over the town was continued by gradually cutting down the dam to release the water over the top in controlled channels. All danger of a major disaster was in this way removed.

Clearing Away Debris Gangs of workmen from the borough and county council staffs were at work with trucks, bulldozers and graders this morning clearing away the gilt, logs, metal and other debris brought down when the main cliff behind the Wairere Falls collapsed. When shops and business premises reopened this morning, staffs began the heavy task of clearing out silt from inside and examining stock which had been damaged by the flood. At the back of the shops and other premises deposits of silt inches deep, together with trees, blocks and other rubbish had to be removed. Fortunately it was a bright, sunny day.

The extent of the work which remains to be done may be gauged from the fact that one business man estimated that it would be weeks before Whakatane resumed its normal appearance. Flood water entered about 30 houses in the residential area, and a large number of families were marooned when the Maraetotara Stream overflowed, carrying silt, logs and other debris to be deposited over a considerable portion of the residential section of the town. Residents this morning were busy attempting to restore order.

J Power Supply Fails I Serious inconvenience has been caused to industry and to the public generally in Whakatane as a result of the electric power supply being cut off. The disruption occurred at the height of the flood when a heavy log carried down by the flooded Whakatane River broke a power pole. There were still swiftly running waters in this locality to-day, but a temporary power line was erected and supply may be resumed to-night. Considerable damage was done at Ohope where culverts were ripped out, leaving great holes and making traffic impossible . Numerous slips occurred at the back of residences where cliffs overhang the foreshore, and many residents had narrow escapes from dislodged boulders. Dwellings Endangered One of the narrowest escapes occurred at the home of Mr. W. Hurst, near which large slips crashed on to outbuildings, causing them to pile up on the roof of his dwelling below. A number of large boulders were strewn around the house. As a result slips on the hills behind the dwellings, in a number of cases heavy spoil was pressing up against the rears of the threatened houses to-day. Numerous outbuildings were demolished and other property was damaged. Many weeks will be required to restore the road to its former condition and to replace the culverts.