FLOODS ON THE WEST COAST

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25738, 25 February 1949, Page 8

FLOODS ON THE WEST COAST

WATER RECEDING QUICKLY ROAD SERVICES HELD UP From Our Own Reporter WESTPORT, February 24. The Buller river reached its highest flood level since 1926 on Wednesday, when at high tide, at 8.25 p.m., the level was five feet below the top of the merchandise wharf. A 10 to 12knot current was running and large quantities of trees and-logs and timber, with occasional carcases of cattle, were being carried out to sea. Every available rope and chain was used to moor the s.s. Holmlea against the swirling waters at the top end of the crane wharf where the current appeared to be swiftest. As the tide receded the flood waters appeared to travel faster, until yesterday morning when they had fallen noticeably, and ail danger of flood to the town had passed. Mountainous seas were breaking across the bar during the night, and the s.s. Titoki, which had been in the roadstead since Wednesday afternoon, was not able? to enter port until the following morning. At the height of the flood on Wednesday gening the Buller Gorge road at Three Channel Flat was under five feet of water for a considerable distance, and passengers on the NelsonWestport service cars had to be taken across this stretch by boat to a lorry. At Inangahua Junction, where they were taken by boat agairf across a further stretch of road, over which it was not possible to travel by bus, they were picked .tip, by a service car to continue their journey to Westport. Near Big Ohika river the road was impassable and the bus returned to Berlin’s Hotel, where the passengers spent the night, coming on to Westport this morning.

Service car drivers op the Buller Gorge route 'estimated the height of the water at Hawke’s Crag at two feet below the top of the concrete kerbing, which is the highest it has been since the flood of 1926, when it covered the road to a depth of five or six feet. In spite of the abnormal rainfall and flooding no large slips were encountered on the Buller Gorge roads and traffic was normal yesterday with the subsidence of the flood waters. In the north of the Buller county the Mokihinui river did not overflow on Wednesday night and the flood waters which had covered the village of Waimarie that morning had subsided and residents were abje to clean out their flooded homes. At the height of the flood in this area 50 sheep which had been grazing on the domain at Waimarie wer6 huddled together on a high patch of ground about 10 feet square, but the flood receded before they were in danger of drowning. Mr G. Lamplough, the butcher servicing the Waimarie district, was forced to wade through water waist high to deliver supplies. At Seddonville several houses were flooded on Wednesday by the Mokihinui river, and roads and bridges were under water until the water receded. Scouring of roads in many other areas in the county took place, but the main railway lines will not be affected.