HEAVY RAIN

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24483, 5 February 1945, Page 8

HEAVY RAIN

FLOODING IN DULLER [ COUNTY ROADS BLOCKED, BY. SLIPS From Our Own Reporter „ WESTPORT, Feb. 4. Several areas in the Buller County are affected by flooding and slips as a . result of exceptionally heavy rain on ' Friday evening and Saturday morning, . and road services were disrupted yesterday. The ..railway from Westport to Seddonville was blocked yesterday by two slips near Mokihihui. Rain fell incessantly on Friday night and early on Saturday morning, more, than three inches being recorded in the town area. The rainfall was considered greater in the country districts on the Westport-Karamea main highway. At the Fourteen-mile. Peg creek burst its banks'and inundated Mr Jenkins’s property, scouring 20 chains of the roadway and causing minor damage to, the railway line. Between Hector and Nikau further damage to the roads and farm lands was caused when the creek Was unable to carry the volume of water. At Morgan’s property, which was the scene of a cloudburst two years ago, the creek again rose to an abnormal height, flooding the homestead, and Patten’s creek scoured the appoaches to the road bridge, but road traffic was not seriously affected. Landslides of a minor size occurred on adjacent farms and covered a considerable portion of the land. Debris from two slips early on Saturday covered the road and railway between Summerlea and Seddonville, and the train was unable to get through to Westport. Railway workmen were today engaged in clearing the line and the service is expected to resume tomorrow morning. The road was opened during the afternoon to vehicular traffic. Beyond Seddonville, portion of the road to the top - mine fell away into Coal creek, but the road was passable to small cars. The road to Woolet’s and Mafris Mill was scoured out for a distance of several chains. Coal creek, rising in height, changed its course, leaving nearby paddocks covered with , gravel and sand. Erosion is serious in this locality. The Karamea road is blocked by a , slip at Mulholland’s, and a bulldozer is to be transferred there to clear the slip after completing the work on the : Seddonville road. It is belieyed that further slips occurred on the Karamea road. Two slips ' on the Millerton-Granity road pre- ! vented the passage of traffic. It was 1 hoped to have the road opened sufficiently later to-day to allow the pas- 1 sage of small cars. It is expected that 1 buses conveying Millerton and Stock- ( ton miners to work will be able to negotiate the road to-morrow morning, The weather cleared to-day, enabling 1 county workmen to expedite repair ' work. The Buller Gorge road and railway ] were hot seriously affected by the rain * and all services are functioning norm- * ally.