Waimakariri Flood Subsides Quickly

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29728, 23 January 1962, Page 14

Waimakariri Flood Subsides Quickly

A flash flood, which brought- the levei of the Waimakariri river 7ft above normal in the gorge at 5 am. yesterday and caused warnings to be issued about the possibility of danger later in the lower reaches of the river, subsided quickly yesterday afternoon with the finish of .he thunderstorms and accompanying heavy rain.

The only damage reported was in Arthur’s Pass, where a bach owned by Mr A. E Cooney, of Chris’church, was si ept away in the swirling flood waters. Water entered several other baches.

Mt Cooney’s bach was situated just upstream from the Arthur’s Pass School, against a boulder bank on the Bealey river.

Yesterday morning as the rainfall swelled the river the boulder bank was undermined, causing the bach to slip into the river. Residents of other baches evacuated personal belongings as the waters rose quickly, but although some baches were flooded, little damage was reported. One groyne held, otherwise the Arthur’s Pass township might have been flooded Telephone lihes In the area were put out of action early yesterday morning but by yesterday afternoon all lines had been repaired. The assistant engineer of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr E. B. Dalmer) said last evening that 817 in of rain had fallen in the Arthur's Pass area In the 18 hours up to 8 a.m. yesterday. A further inch fell between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m, but it was only light rain.

He said the peak at the gorge was 7ft above normal at 5 a.m. yesterday. At the highway bridge the peak was at 4 p m. Warnings had been issued by the board mainly to fishermen at the mouth of the Waimakariri river, and picknickers in the bed of the river in case the river had risen any more. The Catchment Board’s staff patrolled the lower reaches of the river and towed a contractor’s tractor out of the riverbed to the bank. Mr Dalmer said the Rakaia river was in light flood yesterday morning but no damage had been reported. The resident engineer of the Ministry 'of Works (Mr A. McD. Stevenson) said last evening that the Arthur’s Pass road was now open after being closed briefly through slips brought down by the rain. However, the road was rough in places where the slips had been cleared away No damage had been reported in the Lewis Pass road Mr C. A. Body, deputychief service officer of the Automobile Association (Canterbury), said that patrols had reported th t all roads were open, but he advised motorists against using the Arthur’s Pass road at night because of its roughness The Otira Gorge road also was in a difficult condition for nigh’ travelling, he said. The heavy rain and the flooding had no effect on the Railways Department’s services. Flooding In Nelson

(From Our Own Reporter) NELSON, Jan. 22 Heavy rain, from 9 p.m on Sunday until 830 am. today, with a high wind, caused extensive flooding in some parts of Nelson during the early hours of this morning A total of 1.36 in of rain was recorded at the Tahunanui weather office. Rainfall recorded at the Takaka aerodrome for the last 24 hours was 324 in. The Malta! river overflowed its banks early this morning, without seriously affecting the motor camp For the second time this year. Collingwood was isolated by floodwaters about 3 a.m. The rain would greatly benefit the tobacco crop, the Director of the Tobacco Research Station. Mr R. Thomson. said today.