MORE FLOODING IN NELSON

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28256, 18 April 1957, Page 12

MORE FLOODING IN NELSON

Wai-iti River Over Its Banks (New Zealand Press Association) NELSON, April 17. Heavy floods in the Motueka and Takaka valleys were subsiding today, but a new flood developed on the Waimea plains in the Hope, Brightwater, Spring Grove, and Waimea West areas through the normally small Waiiti river overflowing its banks and spreading over a wide stretch of countryside. About 10 homes are reported to have water through them in the Bright-water-Spring Grove area. The Wai-iti river had been running bank high for three days when what was described as a cloudburst took place in its watershed this morning,-- and sent its waters across the plain lands. A number of roads were blocked to light traffic, and farmers took measures to drive stock to safety. Water was flowing two feet deep through the main street at Brightwater. Houses opposite the post office had water through them. Slips on the Takaka Hill road have cut off road communication between Nelson and Golden Bay and the Ministry of Works today did not expect to have the road open again until some time tomorrow. At one place an under-slip has carried away the road completely for more than a chain.

After midday today, water was flowing down the full width of Queen street, Richmond. Richmond Park racecourse was a sheet of water. All the farmland between Gladstone road in Richmond and McShane’s road on the borough boundary, about a mile away, was covered by a foot of surface water.

FLOOD WARNING IN MOTUEKA

(New Zealand Press Association) NELSON, April 17. Further heavy rain in the Motueka valley brought the river into heavy flood again tonight. About a mile above the town of Motueka, the river has been cutting into a stopbank to such an extent that at 10 p.m. the Nelson Catchment Board and the police issued a warning over the Nelson radio station to people residing in the area between Pah street, Motueka, and the river that the river could break through and cause serious flooding in the borough if the stopbank broke. The Motueka Fire Brigade siren would be sounded as a warning that a wide area was likely to be flooded between Pah street and the river. About 300 persons would be involved.

At 9.45 o’clock this evening Motueka’s only picture theatre cut short its programme to warn the audience of the position, and all present left the theatre for their homes.

Bridge At Waihao Damaged

With all rivers in the county rising, the Waimate County Council staff, is having a busy time restoring culverts and keeping roads open. In spite of minor slips and partial wash-outs of culverts, the biggest problem is the bridge over the south branch of the Waihao at Waihao Forks. Willows have been banked up against the bridge, throwing it out of alignment, and fears are held that if the river rises further the bridge will be rendered impassable or washed out. A big slip has come down in Willow cutting on the Serpentine road, almost stopping traffic from Using the roadway, and there is another bad one at Pentland Hills. Efforts were being made to clear both yesterday. Although much surface water is lying on roads and farmlands, there have been no other serious troubles reported.