FLOODS ON WEST COAST

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23245, 4 February 1941, Page 10

FLOODS ON WEST COAST

ROADS AND RAILWAYS BLOCKED MINERS UNABLE TO REACH REWANUI [From Our Own Reporter..! GREYMOUTH, February 3. A serious blockage of road and railway routes was created this morning after an exceptionally heavy overnight downpour, which was accompanied by a high north-west wind. Within about ,12 hours the total fall recorded at Greymouth was 3.67 inches, and only a clearing up of the weather this morning prevented serious flooding in the Grey river and further damage from slips and erosion. Slips and wash-outs on the Rewanui line prevented miners from reaching Rewanui this morning, and the mine was idled. The biggest near Rewanui is so big that it is not anticipated that it will be cleared for two days, with the consequence that the Liverpool mine may continue to remain idle. Services on the Midland line between Greymouth and Otira were considerably delayed by slips this morning and flood waters over the line and road between Ahaura and Ngahere prevented the operation of traffic on the Reefton routes. The Otira Gorge road was blocked by a big slip, but it was cleared and the route was reopened for traffic this afternoon. The Lewis Pass road was not affected. Flood waters backed up in low-lying areas in Greymouth streets, but with the tide ebbing when conditions were at their worst there was little or no domage from flooding in Greymouth. There was heavy rain in the back country and at Rewanui for the 24 hours ending at 9 o’clock this morning 7i inches, which is thought to be a record, was recorded. Rail-Car Delayed A big slip which took an hour and a half to clear occurred on the Midland line near Kaimata about 7 a.m., delaying the rail-car from Christchurch for an hour apd 40 minutes. Another slip at Brunner in the early hours of the morning caused another delay of an hour and 45 minutes to the rail-car, which did not reach Greymouth till 10 a.m., three hours behind schedule. Passengers and mail were transferred to a bus at Stillwater, reaching Greymouth at 9.15 a.m. The Greymouth-Christchurch express was an hour and 30 minutes late in leaving Greymouth because of a subsidence through seepage on the Greymouth side of Omoto, and slips further on. Flood waters over the railway track between Ngahere and Ahaura have completely barfed railway traffic to Reefton. At midday there was four feet of water over the line lor about two chains. The water was then still rising, but subsided to some extent later in the afternoon, although it cannot yet be determined if there are any wash-outs, as the line was still well covered with water this evening, and it is unlikely that the service will be restored to-morrow morning. All Reefton train services are suspended meanwhile. The road to Reefton was also impassable to-day, and 19 Christchurch express passengers returned to Reefton from Ahaura. Although there was a good deal of scouring out of the road near Ngahere, traffic was resumed late this afternoon, and railway passengers were transported to-nighf by bus between Greymouth and Reefton. Slip on Coast Road On the Greymouth-Westport coastal road there was an extensive slip on the Greymouth side of Ten Mile Creek, but the road was passable. A gang of men is now engaged on clearing work. There was a wash-out at the camp on the Greymouth-Runanga line, which was soon cleared this morning. The road was also flooded at the camp, and'-though the Westport-Greyraouth service bus reached Greymouth on schedule the water was up. to the top of the. headlights as the bus . came over the flooded camp road. ‘ Water entered the residence of Mr Barlow at the camp to a depth of about two feet. The slip near Dunollie was cleared this afternoon and the Rewanui line was clear as far as the big slip near Rewanui. If the miners walk over the slip, a distance of about a quarter of a mile, work will be available to them to-morrow.