Central Wellington Hit By Flash Flood, Gale

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29728, 23 January 1962, Page 12

Central Wellington Hit By Flash Flood, Gale

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 22. A flash flood hit the Wellington central area this morning, covering some city streets to a depth of two feet. The water disappeared almost as fast as it came, leaving a trail of mud and debris in some places.

Several buildings were flooded, but the full extent of the damage will not be known till shopkeepers open their premises tomorrow after today’s Anniversary Day holiday. During the height of the storm, which was accompanied by gale-force winds, the inter-island steamer, Rangatira, broke loose from her moorings and gangways trailing in the water had to be lifted by cranes before she could be made fast again. There was no damage.

Included among the buildings known tonight to have been flooded are the Government Buildings, where a pump failed and the Fire Brigade supplied a replacement. the National Mutual Insurance Building, where the pumps could not cope with the high rate of entry, and Broadcasting House The brigade was unable to assist at Broadcasting House as its pumps were too big to be able to take them inside. Stormwater drains were loaded to capacity about 10 am. and the heavy rain apparently then ran on the surface. In a matter of minutes the water was lying more than a foot deep in central parts of the city. Most city streets showed a faint water line some feet out from the gutters, but worst hit of all was Majoribanks street. W'here about 70 yards of silt and rubble were deposited.

Water coming off the slopes of Mount Victoria picked up rubble and deposited it behind cars parked in Majoribanks street. Houses in the street were not affected. but a number of backyards lying below road level still had muddy water lying

on them this afternoon. The water banked up round the Central Fire Station and flowed through ventilators into the main electrical room, set below street level. This plant was closed down and the brigade went on to emergency power.

Silt was deposited heavily inside the Fire Station, Two an# a half truckloads were taken away and the remainder was washed off by firemen. Hotel Cellar Flooded

Floodwaters running down Tory street entered the cellar of the Albion Hotel An electric pump normally kept running there had to . ? switched off when the water level rose to its motor. The Fire Brigade was called and cleared the water.

The proprietor. Mr J. F O'Hanlon. said tonight that nothing had been damaged though the water was about three feet deep at one stage and was lapping the sides of the beer tanks for a while. The largest areas of .water at the height of the flooding were Willis street. Lambton quay and Thorndon, where it lapped car hubcaps and left a trail of silt iry the gutters

However, this disappeared quickly in most'cases. An exception was outside Government Buildings, where a taxi stand was covered with a broad, thick layer of silt.

Men from three branches of the City Engineer’s ment were called out to remove the silt. Three trucks and a tractor were working; in Majoribanks street. They began about 11 a m. and had cleared about half of the debris away by 5 pm Transport was brought almost to a standstill in places at the peak of the flooding, but vehicles managed to pick their way through the water Motorists on the Hutt road were forced to drive slowly because of flooding in the .Kaiwharawhara area. Planes Held I'p Strong crosswinds and heavy rain closed Wellington airport at periods and a a number of flights were diverted or disrupted. At 12 30 p.m. the airport was operating under marginal conditions to Viscounts and Friendships. At no time did the weather clear sufficiently to allow six DC-3 aircraft an opportunity to take off

The rain seriously disrupted the Anniversary Day sporting programme.