Roads And Rail Cut By West Coast Floods

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30092, 28 March 1963, Page 14

Roads And Rail Cut By West Coast Floods

(New Zealand Press Association) GREYMOUTH, March 27. Torrential rain, whipped by strong north-westerly winds, lashed the West Coast on Tuesday and last night causing widespread flooding, road blockages, livestock losses, extensive pasture damage and general devastation over a wide area. Because of a wash-out between Arthur’s Pass and Cora Lynn all West Coast-Canterbury rail services were cancelled. Passengers who were to have travelled on the rail-car to Christchurch left Grevmouth by bus at 7.14 p.m., travelled by the Lewis Pass road and were expected to reach Christchurch after 1 a.m. It is not known when the line will be reopened.

The Arthur’s, pass route to Canterbury was also closed and not expected to be reopened until later tomorrow. Almost 15in of rain fell in the Otira area up to noon today.

Rail blockages occurred a few miles west of Otira. where rocks blocked the line, and at the Bealey. At least four big slips crashed into the Otira gorge, trapping a Ministry of Works truck and a grader. Machinery was sent to the area.

The road was scoured at Candys bend where some of the extensive crib logging work had been undercut. Mr M. G. McKay, a Ministry of Works engineer, said all available mechanical plant was being used to restore traffic movements. I: would be 24 hours at least before the Otira route to. Canterbury would be re- j opened. Several slips, some of) them having thousands of yards of shingle and trees were reported on the Otira route and it was possible there could be others not yet discovered, said Mr McKay From the Bridal Veil in the Otira gorge to the Otira township, there - were some big slips and landslides, which would take considerable clearing. Ministry of Works workmen reported the Otira river being at the highest level for many years. Still Rising The Grey and Taramakau rivers were reported to be still rising in the higher regions today, although the rain abated in coastal areas from noon, Sdtne stock and trees were swept- away by the Grey river. The Grey County Clerk (Mr J. M. Pankhurst) did not envisage any major damage in the county, although he reported very heavy flooding and minor road blockages. During the day the rail-

way was closed between GreymoutL and Otira through scouring and flooding chiefly near Ru Ru and Rocky creek. The line was re-opened late in the afternoon. The Railways Department spokesman said rail services would in the meantime have to travel at reduced speeds over the damaged areas until! considerable quantities of bal-1 last were poured into the affected sections of the permanent way. Buses carried rail-car passengers by way of the Lewis Pass and trucks were used for perishable and urgent goods normally sent by rail to the West Coast. This morning buses with rail passengers for the West Coast left Christchurch at 11.20 a.m. and arrived in Greymouth at 5.50 p.m. The east-bound passengers were taken by busses this evening and arrangements have been made for emergency services tomorrow. The Greymouth-Runanga highway, part of the Grey-mouth-Westport coastal main highway’ was blocked by flooding at Camp and only large vehicles could pass through Blockages in South Road blockages were reported from Karamea to Fox) Glacier. A slip occurred on | the Main South Westland I highway north of Hari Hari.i but this was later cleared. ) Slips on the Weheka hills between the Franz Josef and [ Fox Glaciers were also reported to have been cleared 1 and the road reopened this) afternoon. At Blackball, in the Grey Valley, water jnvaded the home of Mr and Mrs A. Clark to a depth of a foot and a half and surrounded two) other homes for a time. ) The Blackball creek over-

flowed its banks and water lapped the deck of the bridge on the Ngahere-Black-ball road. Surface water lay across the road between Blackball and Roa. In the Grev county, the Kotuku-Bell Hill and Mi‘-chells-Inchbonnie roads were blocked for a time, and the Moonlight-Atarau road was closed on account of washed out bridge approaches. Bruce Bay had 7in of rain. Fox Gacier 6.?5in and Greymouth 2.64 in. The senior engineer of the Ministry of Works at Greymouth *Mr J. Ford) went to South Westland to investigate the damage. He had not reported to the Greymouth office by nightfall. although it was confirmed by Mr McKay that the South Westland road was reopened late in the afternoon. Motorists were instructed to exercise extreme care. The most serious damage was caused by slips and scouring at Mount Hercules. Some Hokitika streets were awash today after heavy rain. In the 24 hours to 9 a.m. today 3.74 in fell in Hokitika. The Hokitika river was in high flood and it was fortunate that the town escaped damage. Many country roads are flooded and the approaches to some bridges have been badly scoured and made impassable to traffic. Pupils from the Westland High School whose homes are in the Kowhitirangi area were sent home as there were fears of further flooding which would have prevented them from returning.