CANTERBURY AGAIN FLOODED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21728, 10 March 1936, Page 10

CANTERBURY AGAIN FLOODED

Serious Situation in Suburbs

LITTLE RIVER ISOLATED AS LAKE RISES Heroic Work Prevents Ashley From Breaking Banks

Yesterday's floods again led to a serious development on the Ashley. The river rose rapidly and threatened to burst through the protective works above Kangiora. Only the heroic efforts of 60 Public Works men saved neighbouring farm lands from disastrous flooding. Working in blinding rain these men built up the stop-bank to a point where the danger was averted.

Little River has had a flood considered the equal of the disastrous floods of 1934. Small streams swelled rapidly and brought a huge volume of water into the township. Late last night Lake Forsyth was rising rapidly and settlers were preparing to leave their homes.

The Main North road, the road from Christchurch to Akarca, and several other important routes have been blocked by floods and slips, and repair gangs will be at work all day to-day. Farmers had sufficient warning to remove stock from flooded paddocks, but further damage to crops still out is inevitable.

With the tide making early this morning the situation all along the low-lying banks of the Heathcote between Colombo street and Radlcy was causing the most serious concern. Earlier in the day a few residents had had to leave their homes because of the invasion of water, but at 1 o'clock this morning it seemed that very many more would have to do the same thing. In this part of the city the flcod is considered the worst for very many years.

The rainfall in the city for the 24 hours ended at midnight was a few points short of three inches, and the forecast was for further rain.

IN THE CITY

HEATHCOTE AND AVON RIVERS HIGH

RESIDENTS LEAVE HOMES

MANY ROADS UNDER WATER

Rain falling without a stop for two days has again caused serious flooding in many parts of the city. Both the Avon and the Heathcote were unable to carry a huge volume of water, and late in the afternoon overflowed in low-lying quarters. Down in Beckenham the position became so acute that people had to leave their homes, and in other parts of the city near the rivers there were indications of a ready serious plight for many householders if the heavy rain continued. No serious damage was done from floods in the city itself, the clearing of drainage facilities by the floods of less than a fortnight ago assisting in getting the almost unprecedented rainfall well away without much inconvenience. But it seemed late last evening that if the exceptionally heavy rain persisted the city generally might have to face one oi the worst floods in recent years.

Flooding by Healhcok

The districts in which the Hood caused most anxiety were those near the Heathcote river, which was greatly swollen by rain pouring down from the hills. The river overflowed jis barms in many places, and some persons in Western terrace, on the banks of the river, had to abandon their homes. The high level of the river caused trouble in Opawa, Radley, St. Marlins, Cashmere, and Beckonham. Great stretches of the roads round the river were covered with water, some footbridges were unusable, and a few houses were surrounded, their occupants being marooned, and street corners were awash. The Avon river also broke its banks, and resulted in heavy flooding on roads and gardens in Avonside and Dallington. Indications are that it the rain continues much longer there will be serious flooding, especially near the Cashmere Hills, and more families may be compelled to quit their homes. It was noticeable that channels, gutters and creeks were able to cope with the Hood waters more easily than m the last flood, for they had been cleaned out by the heavy rains. No damage was done in the city, though water covered some of the streets, especially in the south of the town. In Colombo street, near avenue, the street was under water as it was a few days ago and the half of the road and the footpath on the north side of Moorhouse avenue were covered. Blocked channels made pools of water in parts of Cathedral square, but this trouble was not so bad as in the last iloods. The stormy weather caused two power failures al Station 3YA. A brief stoppage occurred during the breakfast session. In the afternoon the station's own emergency low power plant had to be used from 3 10 until ">. when normal transmission was resumed. The level of tne Avon river through the city was exceptionally high, the water encroaching far up the banks, and greatly widening the flow. The small island south of the Bridge of Remembrance, was almost submerged. Rain in Cashmere

The rain on the Cashmere Hills was heavier than in the city, and this, together with the tidal nature of the river, caused the rapid and considerable Vise in the Heathcote. Last evening at 7.30, the level of the river was the same as that, during the flood several years ago, when residents had to fpave their homes in Western terrace A i n parts of Woolston. Since that +me too the Christchurch Drainage Board has lowered the level of the

Relentless driving rain, falling incessantly for more than 50 hours, has again caused serious flooding' in the city and in many parts of Canterbury. It is only a fortnight since serious damage was done by one of the worst floods for very many years; yet at midnight last night, with rain still falling heavily it seemed that there was every likelihood of a repetition of the experience of February 21.

river by 18 inches, A man who has lived at Cashmere for 25 years said that the flood is the heaviest since he has lived there. Since Sunday, 4.61 inches have fallen in the district. A small slip occurred on the Port Hills road, but it is hoped to have the road cleared this morning. The strongest impression remaining after a motor drive round the Heathcote river was the comparatively little danger to houses, considering the unwonted height of the river, the main reason for this being that few houses are built on the road level. At Radley bridge the water was within three feet of the top span and east of the bridge it had spilled out covering padclocks. Farther west the water was level with the roads on both sides, and treas usually on the bank were surrounded by the swirling flood. Near the footbridge on Clarendon terrace at thj foot of Sheldon street, the river covered the road to a depth of a foot, and the flooding looked troublesome near Sullivan avenue. Riverslaw terrace, which runs along the bank of the Heathcote nearer to the city, had lost its identity in the river, and its course could be followed only by the trees that constitute it an avenue. The river had simply expanded across the road, on which the water was four feet deep, and reached into properties on the far side. Fortunately there; are few houses in this road, but their occupiers looked to be in a sorry plight, though it appeared about 5.30 last evening that they would not have to leave their houses. The river suiged across several footbridges anci a paddock gate could just be perceived above the flood. By the brick kiln of Murphy Bros., the river widened out, and it was a little farther on that the worst flooding was apparent. Water had encroached over Eastern terrace and was several feet deep up against the brick wall' of a residence, the house itself being well out of reach of the flood, on a rise. However, access to and from the house called for gumboots. Past this point the road was impassable, the water being as high as a man's armpits in some parts Homes Vacated A group of six houses in Western terrace, which runs alongside the river, received the worst effects of the rise in the river level. About 5.30 last evening water was entering some of the houses, and the occupants of one were removing their furniture and preparing to vacate the house. In Birdwood avenue also, residents had to leave a house because it 'had been invaded by flood waters.

Four houses at the end of Western terrace stood in about two feet of water, the third one from the corner of the terrace and Birdwood avenue being in the worst position. The water did not appear to have entered the houses, but the persons in all of them except that at the corner were probably marooned. Two High School boys, returning from school, endeavoured to reach one of the houses, but after approaching near enough for the waters to reach above their knees they gave up the attempt. Near this spot a paddock extending about 30 yards along Western terrace was completely covered. Bowenvale avenue, which runs into Port Hills road, on the opposite side of the river from Western terrace, was temporarily a tributary of the Heathcote, acting as a drain for the rain that was teeming down on the hills at the back of the road. The lower part of the road was a sheet of water, and the gutters foamed with water tinged orange by the clay on the hills. The flooding in this road, hardly a part of which was not covered, was caused by the volume of water flowing down an artificial cut at the top end of the road, used to drain water from the hills. Small concrete protective works, built by the channel, had been washed away for about two chains and a half, and the garden of a nearby house had been ruined. Several trees at the side of the road had been blown down by the force of the wind. In the hills at the back small cataracts flowed down every fold, contributing to the flood- | ing of tjic river. On the banks of the Heathcote along Cashmere road and Ashgrove terrace reserves planted with flowers and shrubs were well awash. In Barrington street

Where a main drain crosses Barrington street, outside Barrington Park. water covered the road to a depth of three feet and a half and extended 200 yards across the park in some parts. Some houses were surrounded by water a few inches deep, and water was lapping the entrance of a shop on a corner opposite the park.

Footpaths were flooded in Straven road and several other streets in Riccarton, and the sports ground of the

Gardens Covered

HEATHCOTE RISES RAPIDLY

EMERGENCY

Boys' High School was assuming the appearance of a lake. A congregation of seagulls in the middle of the ground assisted in creating this appearance. The Avon overflowed its banks and last night covered the roadway to depths of almost a foot on several parts of Avonside drive. The part which was affected most seriously was that between Dallington bridge and Kerr's road. The roadway was clear for a short distance beyond the bridge, but further along the water reached to the running-boards of cars, and seemed to be deeper towards the Xerr's road end of the drive. Several cars turned back, as drivers could see that even if the water did not become much deeper it would be a very difficult task to keep to the road in the dark, as the few landmarks on this part of the road were not easily visible. Near the weir the water also covered the road to a depth of almost a foot, and here, too, there were few landmarks to steer by on the river side of the read. Many of the trees stood well out in the water.

RAPIDLY

TOWNSHIP

A stretch of about 200 yards on Banks avenue was also covered near Dallington bridge, and the water overran several of the gardens, though the houses stood well clear. The river was about four feet from the level of the Dallington bridge. Between 6 and 8 p.m. the water had risen noticeably in these areas. The roads in Marshland were clear, though parts of the land were covered with water in several places, especially in Winter's road. St. Albans Park was covered with many large pools of water, especially near Barbadoes street. In some pari.-, of the suburb the water came well up on the footpaths. In the gardens through which the Dudley creek flows parts of the lawns were extensively covered. The creeks and storm water drains at Sumner were running bank to bank, the outlets being clearly defined by a muddy area in the otherwise clear water. Numerous waterfalls came from the hills surrounding Sumner and Redclifl's. Flooding of several streets occurred, especially at Redcliffs, where the water in the sidechannels was unable to escape because of the high tide. The entrances to Celia street and Bay View road were completely blocked. Several yachts moored in Monck's Bay failed to ridj out the stcrm and overturned.

KADLEY HOMES THREATENED

Roads Blocked

DRAYS TO STAND BY FOR

With dirty flood water swirling within two or three inches of their floors the residents in several houses in Opavva and Radlcy anxiously watched the level at midnight last night, and made preparations to meet the serious situation which appeared to be developing. The water was feet deep over lawns r.-d .gardens, and drays were standing by to evacuate the'residents as it appeared early this morning that this would be necessary. At least one house on Richardson terrace, near Ferry road, was evacuated. The serious situation which had arisen at that hour was due not solely to the heavy and steady rain, for tho. state of the'tide played a large part m the development of danger to property. Even after high tide late yesterday afternoon no fall in the flood leve was noticeable—in fact, it rose several inches—and the residents of the area became sufficiently alarmed to take precautions. As much as possible, tho bottoms of doorways were barricaded and furniture, such as carpets, likely to suffer most damage from flood water, was removed from the danger level One resident of Radlcy said that late in the afternoon at about the lime ot high tide his property was quite lree from flood. A few minutes later he watched while the dirty torrent swept through his front gate, and between the pickets of the fence, and swirled to the back of the house, whence it passed to a neighbour's property. Early this morning the occupants <>l six houses which were visited in that area were wailing and watching Ihe water level anxiously. They had been informed that drays would call to evacuate them if the level rose any higher. . An indication of the rapid rise ol the water was that at midnight it was within 18 inches of the top span of the Radlcy bridge. Three feet of water swept along Richardson terrace, and created havoc in gardens. More than that, if caused such alarm among the residents that the occupants of one house left it and sought shelter. Before leaving, however, they removed property which would suffer most damage from the water, and stacked it on top of higher furniture. In the same locality other.were taking similar precautions this morning, for they feared that when the tide rose their homes would be invaded.

HAVE YOUR CYCLE CHROMIUM

Arrange with your cycle dealer to make your machine one of the smartest in town. Take your cycle to him right away and get a price. Armstrong and Farr, "The Plating People," 148 Victoria street, Christchurch. —4

LITTLE RIVER'S PLIGHT

SETTLERS PREPARE TO LEAVE HOMES

LAKE FORSYTH RISING

TORRENTS POUR THROUGH

With streams pouring down as great torrents into the township and Lake Forsyth rising to meet them the people of Little River were in serious plight late last night. Many were faced with the prospect of having to leave their homes at any moment. Relentless driving rain all day had swollen the streams and sent them rushing at a terrific pace through the township, filling the streets with nearly four feet of water and flooding the post office and stores. Then late in the afternoon the lake began to rise rapidly until last night it was feared the waters would bank up, enter homes, and force families to remove to higher levels. The lake had been let away after the floods a fortnight ago and was still at a low level yesterday morning, but last night it was within a foot of the road. Fearing that the lake and the streams would bank up a huge volume of water, residents of the township piled their furniture as high as they could in their homes and prepared to leave at once. Two loft early in the afternoon when water was two inches deep on their floors. The township was isolated early in the afternoon. The ewe fair which was to have been held was abandoned. Owners of slock began at once to remove the sheep, but had filled only 12 trucks when the water rose so rapidly that I hey had to stop and swim the rest of the sheep out. The slock on the trucks was soon marooned and had to be left there all night. It was feared that many would die of cold. Those sheep forced to swim out were tak; n to higher land, and only minor losses were reported.

For the i.rst time in eight years the rervice cars from Chrislchurch to Akaroa had to abandon their journey yesterday afternoon. The car from Akaroa reached the Hill Top after negotiating slips near Barry's Bay, but soon after leaving Hill Top it encountered a huge slip across the road at Red John's Gully and had to turn back. The car from Chrislchurch went as far as Motukarara, but hearing of the slips below the Hill Top the driver decided to go no further. The mail car from Akaroa to Little River was unable to get through, and the roads to Kinloeh and Okuti were blocked. The afternoon train from Christchurch to Little River could not. get past Birdling's Flat. It turned there and struggled back to Chrislchurch. The morning train had to crawl through the water with men walking in front to make sure that culverts had held. A truck managed to gel as far as Lake Forsyth Hotel from Christehurch yesterday afternoon, and a postboy walked along 'lie railway for two miles to carry the mail to i! for carriage to the city. Other cars were unable to get further lhan a few miles past Kailuna. Water Enters Stores

The flood waters entered the post office, and iiiot>t of the stores, including iliL' grain store, at Little River. There was ample warning, and all the grain was lifted to dry quarters. On the floor of 11 ie post office the water was two inches deep, and there was similar flooding into the floor of the town hall. Only two residents in the township had io leave their homes during the day. but many others prepared to do so. Solders at Okuti and Kinloch were marooned in their homes, and nearer Clirisichurch, at Kailuna. families were prepared last night to leave. A family living just past die Kailuna stalion. who were obliged to spend all night huckUod on a table during the 1H34 flood, led (heir home half-way through llv adernoou, when llie water was two inches deep on the floor.

Roads were; under water for miles out of Little River, and (lie floods were quickly scouring out the surfaces. The I,'i.i slip al Red John's Gully on the Hill Top is expected to bo cleared sufficiently lor tiafiie to go through today, but water was still nearly four feet deep about, the township last, night. V"[\'- feel of water blocked the way to Kinloch, and there was a washout on the road near (he Catholic Church crossing in the township. There was much more water about than in the VXA Mood.

Part of the township was left, without power early in the day and throughout the night, when a pole crashed to the ground and carried wires for a long distance with it. The county linesman himself had to abandon his car on the way back from Teddington lo Little River and walk two miles lo his home.

Rain was still pouring down last night, and lo make matters worse the wind reached gale force. It was feared that telegraph wires might be down by the morning.

BLOCKED

Land Saturated

KOKIMAKO DKLAYEI)

PLAINS UNDER WATER

, HUNDREDS OF ACRES FLOODED

RIVEKS HIGH AND ROADS

Land throughout the plains was already saturated and could not cope with the heavy fall yesterday. Paddocks in many districts were like lakes and there was little shelter for stock. Farmers fortunately had ample warning and suffered few losses. . Roads were under water, and damaged in many places, chiefly between Christchurch and the north and Christchurch and Akaroa, but telegraph and telephone services suffered no interrupW rioods and wash-outs on the road to Little River and Akaroa blocked traffic On the Main South road a "reat volume of water lay along the road yesterday afternoon, completely covering it in 64 places between Ashburton and Christchurch. The inland route to Kaikoura was blocked through flooding in the Mason river, but service cars on the main road were able to come through yesterday afternoon. Late last evening, it was reported that Dip creek, about five miles north of Parnassus, had risen and threatened to block the road. . Flooding in the Hawkins river blocked the road to Coalgate from Darlield and traffic had to go through Waddington. The Hawkins, Waireka. and Selwyn rivers were all in Hood last evening, and were rising. They had not then done any great damage. Rail services, except those to Little River, were all maintained, although there was delay on some lines.

Right through the plains, from Methven up to Waipara, farm lands had already boon saturated by the falls during the last fortnight, and on Saturday night and Sunday. When the south-wester brought more relentless, driving rain all day yesterday, the land could not hold it all, and farmers found their stojk standing in the paddocks in inches of water. In many districts water lay across the paddocks and reached half-way up the fences for miles. Had the farmers not had ample warning, there would have been serious losses.

The bitterly cold south-west wind brought heavy snow on the hills about Methven. The Rakaia river and the north branch of the Ashburton river ro.se rapidly, but did not overflow their banks. The Mount Hutt road was blocked, but there was no serious damage. In low lying areas in Ashburton paddocks were covered with a toot of water. The rainfall there was .15in in 48 hours. Further north the rain was still heavier. The Selwyn river came down in high flood and if the rain continued throughout the night there, was prospect of serious damage. Lecston had more than three inches of rain from the beginning of the storm on Saturday night until yesterday afternoon, and farmers were again forced to slop their harvesting. In the Leeston district there is still a great quantity of grain still in stook, and' it must by now be almost ruined. No sooner has it had a chance to dry than rain set in again.

Dunsandel had 5.4 in of rain up to yesterday afternoon, and the Selwyn was then threatening to give trouble. On the route to the West Coast there was also heavy rain. Although the Hawkins, Waireka, and Selwyn rivers flooded and blocked some roads, traffic was able to go through and no Irains were held up. Arthur's Pass had its first snowfall of the season.

Further north, in Cheviot, and up into Waikari, Culverden, Waiau, and Kaikouri, there was not so much flood but heavy rain was falling there last night. Although Little River suffered heavily, Akaroa did not. There was heavy rain there all day and into the night, but the water was able to get away easily, and there was no damage done.

HOUSES SURROUNDED AT REDCLIFFS

The whole of the IVlonck's Bay area was llooded last evening. There was wafer covering Bay View road, and I'ratt and Cliff streets; beyond that it was over the main road tor a halfmile. On the footpaths of the submerged ways the water was 18 inches deep, and in some places on the road itself if was a foot deep. About 50 houses were completely surrounded, although (;iily one had water inside.

Several boulders, of no great, size, and an amount of clay were on the road round the Sumner cliffs last night. One fall of clay, only of two or three cubic yards, came from a not serious slip.

Although neither of the Union Airways' aeroplanes operating on the Palmerston North-Duncdin service ye » lerday was aM'ected by bad weather over the first stage of their respective journeys, the Korimako remained at Chrislchurch, and did not complete its scheduled trip to Dunedin. The Korimako arrived in Chrislchurch only 10 minutes behind schedule on its trip from Palmerston North, and the aeroplane from Dunedin was on time.

Praiseworthy Work

ASHLEY RISES AGAIN

THREAT OF SERIOUS FLOOD DAMAGED STOP-BANK REBUILT ANOTHER WASH-OUT IN MAIN NORTH ROAD Swollen by more than two days' heavy rain, the Ashley river was in high flood last night, but the work of about 60 relief workers and employees of the Rangiora County Council in building up the stop-banks through which the flood broke on February 21 prevented the flood waters from spreading through the surrounding country. The flood last month was the worst for at least 68 years, but, according to reports late last night, the r>resent flood will be by no means as serious. Precautions have been taken, however, by residents in those parts that were affected by the overflowing of the river three weeks ago, and many householders at Waikuku have vacated their homes. According to reports, the temporary approach on the north side of the Ashley river on the Main North road, has been washed away. Employees of the Public Works Department have been engaged for the last fortnight or so in reconstructing the part damaged by the last flood, and access was reopened only yesterday, although no traffic was allowed through. In the meantime, however, north-bound traffic will be forced to continue to make a detour through Rangiora. Although the river had not broken its banks last night, there was a considerable amount of seepage, and this, augmented by the rain water lying in the fields, had commenced to flow across the Main North road just outside Waikuku. Shortly after 10 o'clock last night, there was a strong enough and deep enough flow to make it hazardous for motorists to try to get past Waikuku. To have essayed that, of course, would have been useless because of the damage to the northern approach of the bridge a little further on.

The work of the men engaged at the Public Works Department's camp on the banks of the Ashley river about a mile north of Rangiora is worthy of the highest praise, for but for them the water would have forced its way during the afternoon through the stop-bank that was badly damaged in the last flood. The engineer in charge of the river protection work, Mr R. Mclntyre, had been in close touch with conditions in the headwaters of the river, and early in the afternoon he was advised that at Lees Valley the river was carrying more water than at the peak of the last flood.

This information was received ton lale for the services of the men employed at the lower construction camo to be obtained, for shortly after noon they had been told to vacate the camp and go home. However, the men at the upper camp were called out, and an urgent request for assistance was made to the Rangiora County Council. Very quickly about 60 men had been called out. including the outside staff of the council, and these began throwing up shingle on the bank through which the flood had burst three weeks ago, and swept through to Coldstream and down to Waikuku on its way to the sea.

A Difficult Task Working in driving rain, they had a difficult and to some extent a dangerous task. From 3 o'clock in the afternoon most of them worked without respite, filling and wheeling barrows loaded with shingle up to the stop-bank. On the wet and muddy planks along which they had to push the barrows, it was not easy to keep their footing, for towards the end of their task the light was bad—they were working in the dark just before they left the job—and it was remarkable that no mishap occurred. It was estimated by Mr Mclntyre, who supervised and assisted the men in their work, that more than 250 cubic yards of shingle had been moved tb the stop-bank. That represented nearly 450 tons of spoil, a magnificent effort in such a short time, even in the best of conditions.

Had nothing been done to build up the damaged stop-bank, the flood waters would surely have smashed (heir way through as they did last month. That would have meant that road communication would have been severed altogether with the northern part of the province. A rise of two feet would have taken the river through the stop-bank in the condition if was in before the men began their work. Fortunately, all hough there was such a huge volume of water in the upper reaches of the river, the rise near Rangiora was not rapid. Towards 7 o'clock last night the flow was about 40,000 cusccs. and for the next hour the level rose only an inch or so. Between 0 and 10 o'clock tiie level was still rising slowly, and at 10.30 it was still 2ft from the top of the lowest point

Farmers Remove Stock

Camp Vacated

of the repaired bank. The bank was holding well, and for the next hour toe rise was only lin -However, seepage water through the shingle bank Same across the road on the southern sfde of the Rangiora traffic bridge, which is immediately below the camp, and covered about two-thirds of a chain with 4in of water. But this did not affect communication with tne n °Reports from higher up the Ashley late at night were not so alarming as those received earlier in the da>. Rain had given place to. snow, and the riv-T was not carrying such a great volume of water as had been anticipated. Heavy rain was still falling in the Ashley Gorge after 10 o'clock. Peach's bridge on the Ash-ley-Sefton road was reported to be impassable.

The experiences of farmers in the last flood has stood them in good stead, and warned of the possibility of the recurrence of the flooding, they have taken precautions to guard themselves against losses of stock such as were common last month. At Fernside, for example, where the river broke through protective works and inundated the surrounding country and caused severe losses of stock, farmers were at work early in the afternoon removing their stock to places where a flood would not be likely to reach. One family through whose home the Hood water swept last month sought shelter at the home of Mr A. M. Carpenter. However, according to reports received late Jast night, the river was not seriously threatening this part. Although it had risen 3ft, it had still another 2ft to rise before it would overflow, and the conditions at the upper construction camp indicated that the river was not likely to come over its banks at Fernside.

During the last flood, 50 men employed at the lower construction camp near the Main North road were marooned for a night, and were in extreme peril. On this occasion, however, there was no possibility of such an incident recurring. Early in the afternoon the men were instructed to vacate the camp, and all except three did so. But these were peremptorily ordered to leave the camp by the en-gineer-in-charge, and they then obeyed instruction!.'. They had to wade through water nearly waist deep to get away. The possibility of householders at Waikuku beach being again placed in serious danger was recognised early in the afternoon, and workers at the twine and wool works in Waikuku were allowed to leave their employment at 3 o'clock to make arrangements for the safety of their families and their belongings. Most residents at Waikuku bcr.ch left their homes during the afternoon. The volume of water in the Ashley is not half as great as that during the last flood, when it was carrying 83,000 cusecs at its peak, but with an incoming tide at Waikuku beach early this morning there was a chance that the flood waters would be forced back and would spread across into the houses in that locality.