SOUTHLAND FLOODS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29237, 22 June 1960, Page 14

SOUTHLAND FLOODS

Stock Losses Reported

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, June 21. The main impact of Southland’s floods was concentrated on the lower reaches of the Mataura river tonight, after the swollen Oreti and Aparima rivers had done their worst

This morning the flood peak in the Oreti river surged out to sea, leaving in its trail stock losses. Farmers around Lochiel were the heaviest losers; one, it is believed, having 400 sheep drowned. In the area round Gorge road, stock was moved to high ground well before the floodwaters started to invade the pastures, and although there are sheets of water in many places stock losses are expected to be isolated and few. Wyndham had an early morning alert. Both the Mataura and Mimihau rivers threatened the township, and at 2 a.m. the fire siren roused residents after one man heard water lapping beneath his house. Two couples were evacuated from houses near the recreation reserve, where the flooding was at its worst The water subsided without causing serious damage, and by tonight was practically all gone. It was estimated that the height of the flooding was about six or seven inches lower than that of the last big flood in -(November, 1957.

The chief engineer of the Southland Catchment Board (Mr R. D. Young) said today that the severity of the present floods in the area did not appear to match that of November, 1957. The Mataura at Gore and Wyndham was nearly 18in below the 1957 level, which was “quite a difference.”

However, some of the creeks were as full as they had been for the mainly coastal floods of May. 1957, added Mr Young. The ground was saturated and the creeks were running above normal before the full impact of the flooding was brought down country by the big rivers. Boats were used by some farmers in the Lochiel district to clear stock from low-lying farmland before water from the Oreti spilled across country. In spite of their endeavours it Is understood that many sheep were trapped and drowned.

Besides the loss of 400 sheep by one farmer, losses of 100 by a farmer near Oporo and 250 by a Thompson’s Crossing farmer have been reported.