FLOODING IN HUTT

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 14

FLOODING IN HUTT

Cloudburst In Rimutakas (NX Pr«M ANoctttton) WELLINGTON. Nov. 12. A rescue force prepared to evacuate ' homes in the Clouston Bert road area of Upper Hutt on Saturday M the Hutt River rose to a dangerous level after a cloudburst in the Rimutaka catchment area. Army men, police, localbody officers and residents stood by as the waters con. tinued to rise to a peek of 12ft Sin above normal at 1 p.m. Pockets of water covered a five-acre area 10ft deep in some places. By 3 p.m, however, the weather had cleared and the flood danger was over. Overnight Cloudburst The flood came after an overnight cloudburst in the Hutt River catchment area at Kaitoke, in the Rimutakas. A total of 3in of rain fell between 2 a.m. and 8 am. on Saturday. The river was Mt 2in above normal in the catchment area early in the morning, and rose to 12ft Sin above normal at Upper Hutt at 1 p.m. The water appeared to have cleared quickly from sections and silt deposit had not been heavy, said the Upper Hutt borough engineer (Mr G. W. Johansen). The water had been travelling quite fast in most places, and had dropped only a skin of silt on the roads, he said.